“This makes me very happy, this is why we came down from the Sierra, to see the people celebrating the guáimaro tree,” says Orfelina Perez Restrepo, an Indigenous Yupa whose ancestral lands overlap with the lush valleys and rugged ridges of the Serranía del Perijá, a mountain range that runs along Colombia’s northeastern border with Venezuela. Perez […]
How Do Tree Species Adapt to Climate Change?
Can trees adapt to climate change? Which trees are more or less capable of doing so, and why? A group of researchers from all over the world set out to find answers to these questions. Professor of Environmental Biology Peter van Bodegom helped to classify the functional traits of tree species, including: the thickness of […]
Want to Live Longer – Consider Planting a Tree
Put down the apple, folks. A recent study finds that a tree may be just the thing to keep the doctor away. In urban areas, trees perform many healthy functions. They shade sidewalks, suck up air pollution, soften traffic noise, all while being nice to look at. Trees also take climate-warming carbon out of the […]
Texas Trees That Make You Sneeze
There is no shortage of trees and shrubs around Texas that will have your eyes watering and your nose running. With such a wide variety of flora spanning the Lone Star State, it can be difficult to determine which tree is the culprit behind your anguish. So, you can put a face to your enemy, […]
How Does Austin Protect Our Trees?
The City of Austin protects trees on both public and private property. In 1984, the City of Austin passed one of the first tree protection ordinances in the entire United States. The City has continued its commitment to protect our valuable community trees when they passed the Heritage Tree Ordinance back in 2010. What is […]
Current Tree Health Issues
Tree diseases and pests vary tremendously from region to region, and what’s ailing a tree is often difficult to diagnose. Below you will find some basic information about what may be affecting your tree’s health. Drought One of the more common issues affecting trees across the country is drought. Lack of water can cause a […]
As Disease Ravages Japan’s Oak Trees, Researchers Tap Tech to Aid Neglected Forests
Japan’s oak trees are confronting a pandemic. The crisis began long before COVID-19, and the threat comes in the form of a fungus carried by insect pests rather than a virus. Known as nara-gare (oak wilt disease), oak trees are withering and dying en masse nationwide, which has put the health of satoyama — an intermediate, partially human-made zone […]
The UK’s Oldest Trees Are Critical to Fighting Climate Change
An accurate calculation of the amount of carbon trapped in UK woodlands could help inform decisions about how to manage it – in addition to highlighting the cost to the environment of losing that woodland. Before 3D scanning techniques were available, weighing a tree would mean cutting it down. However, the latest research, published in […]
Logged Forests May Be Carbon Emitters for Years
If you’ve ever been offered the opportunity to donate money to plant a tree to offset a purchase, you’ve probably guessed that trees naturally store carbon. Forests are an invaluable source of carbon storage around the world. Many people assume that forests that have been cut down but are regrowing trees are also regaining their capacity […]
Mass Extinctions May Have Been Driven by the Evolution of Tree Roots
A series of mass extinctions rocked Earth’s oceans during the Devonian Period over 300 million years ago. These extinctions may have been triggered by the evolution of tree roots. At least that’s what a new research study led by scientists at Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), along with colleagues in the United Kingdom, suggests. Evidence […]
