Reforesting The Planet

Before we knew better, thousands of massive ancient trees were cut down to clear a path across the countryside or to use for lumber, without a thought to replanting. Five years ago a group of dedicated individuals co-founded the Archangel Ancient Tree Archive, a non-profit organization working towards their vision of “replanting the earth with the genetics of the world’s remaining ancient forests”. To do this they have begun creating a genetic library of as many tree "success stories" as possible by locating the largest and oldest trees they can find and getting permission to work on them. Individuals harvesting the genetics from the selected trees are extremely careful not to harm the existing tree; often climbing to the tip top of the tree to collect new growth on the branches. On occasion AATA harvesters are able to find viable shoots to collect coming out of the stumps of trees that were cut down over a century ago. On Earth Day this year AATA held a global planting event that saw genetic duplicates of giant coast redwoods planted at nine locations around the world; two of those being in California and Oregon. AATA is a great group doing a great project for a great planet.