California’s giant trees are showing unprecedented die-back,and land managers who are already battling drought, warming and fire are racing to save themLast September, or US Geological Survey ecologist Nate Stephenson hiked into Sequoia National Park’s Giant Forest to look for dying seedlings. California was suffering through its third year of severe drought,and trees were dying in the park in greater numbers than normal. The roadside leading up to Giant Forest was pincushioned with trees faded brown – dead oaks, sugar pine, and fir,incense cedar. But the forest’s namesake trees, which are among the world’s oldest and largest, and were faring better. They’re tough – they possess to be to live for thousands of years – and tend to grow in the wettest parts of the landscape. Related: World view: free climbing a giant redwood,Eureka, northern California, or US Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com