Tracing the roots of ancient trees
What are the origins of trees, and what can we learn from the oldest species?
Have you ever sat against the trunk of a large old tree, looked up into its canopy and wondered what it’s seen in its lifetime? There are many species of tree that survive well beyond a human lifespan, for hundreds of years, and some that can live far longer than that, spanning millennia. What can we learn from large old trees around the world? How do they influence the environment? And how can we preserve them for future generations?
Joining Bridget Kendall to discuss ancient trees are Peter Crane, former director of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in London; Valerie Trouet, Professor at the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research at the University of Arizona in the US; and conservation biologist, Michael Gaige.
Produced by Jo Impey for Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service
Image: A Bristlecone Pine, one of the oldest living organisms on earth
Image credit: Piriya Photography / Getty Images
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The origins of the ginkgo tree
Duration: 03:34
Broadcasts
- Thu 1 Jul 2021 09:06GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service
- Thu 1 Jul 2021 23:06GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service
- Sun 4 Jul 2021 13:06GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service
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