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xchrom

(108,903 posts)
Mon Apr 22, 2013, 08:08 AM Apr 2013

Cloning takes California's ancient redwood trees abroad

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/04/22/redwood-trees-climate-change-environment/2102667/

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Jake Milarch holds coastal redwood clones developed in the Archangel Ancient Tree Archive lab in Copemish, Mich. The group hopes to plant millions of redwood clones.(Photo: John Flesher, AP)

COPEMISH, Mich. (AP) — California's mighty redwoods are going international, cloned in an effort to promote reforestation and deal with climate change.

Although measuring just 18 inches (45 centimeters) tall, the laboratory-produced trees are genetic duplicates of three giants that were cut down in northern California more than a century ago. Remarkably, shoots still emerge from the stumps, including one known as the Fieldbrook Stump, which measures 35 feet (10.7 meters) in diameter. It's believed to be about 4,000 years old. The tree was about 40 stories high before it was felled.

"This is a first step toward mass production," said David Milarch, co-founder of Archangel Ancient Tree Archive, a nonprofit group spearheading the project, which is planting redwoods Monday (Earth Day) in Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, Ireland, Canada, Germany and the U.S.

"We need to reforest the planet; it's imperative. To do that, it just makes sense to use the largest, oldest, most iconic trees that ever lived," Milarch said.
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gordianot

(15,226 posts)
1. It may be mankind's sole purpose for existing to be a shepard to these trees and similar tasks.
Mon Apr 22, 2013, 08:42 AM
Apr 2013

So much more important than anything that occurs in any Church, Temple, Synagogue, Mosque etc..

xchrom

(108,903 posts)
2. i think many, many churches, temples, synagogues, mosques
Mon Apr 22, 2013, 08:47 AM
Apr 2013

would gladly help with this development.

to be Care Takers of Creation is a big movement in many religious institutions these days.

gordianot

(15,226 posts)
3. Sorry but my most recent encounters with organized religion have not been this positive.
Mon Apr 22, 2013, 09:05 AM
Apr 2013

This attitude is there but does not prevail.

xchrom

(108,903 posts)
4. well, as an active episcopalian -- the environment is/has become a big part of our
Mon Apr 22, 2013, 09:16 AM
Apr 2013

spiritual observance -- the term we use is 'care takers' -- and we are involved in many community activities to that end and are included in our religious observances.

i also know other denominations and religions are developing the same.

we do care and we do participate -- we may not make headlines though -- not as sexy as the ravings of say pat robertson and some of the unaffiliated evangelical denominations focused on woman hate and crushing lgbtiq folk.

gordianot

(15,226 posts)
5. You are hugely outnumbered by the monsters, they may haul my body in a Church but not by my choice
Mon Apr 22, 2013, 09:37 AM
Apr 2013

I am not an atheist, have looked and met good people but organized religion is just not for me. I stay away permanently.

n2doc

(47,953 posts)
6. I don't know about this
Mon Apr 22, 2013, 09:52 AM
Apr 2013

Redwoods grow like weeds in northcoast California. Might these become an invasive species problem?

jakeXT

(10,575 posts)
7. They have been planted in Europe after the gold rush
Mon Apr 22, 2013, 11:37 AM
Apr 2013


Giant sequoias outside their natural range

Shortly after its discovery during the gold rush in the middle of the 19th century, the giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) was planted extensively outside its natural range, especially in Europe.
North America
Europe
Australia and New Zealand
South America
Africa
The success of its introduction depends very much of the resemblance of the region's climate to that up in the Californian mountains. The tree grows very well in the wetter parts of Europe like the U.K., and certains parts of Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, while it does not grow very well in the eastern part of the US or not at all in the tropics or cold areas like the northern parts of Scandinavia or Russia.
Trees can withstand temperatures of -25 °F (-31 °C) or colder, for short periods of time providing the ground around the roots is insulated with either heavy snow or mulch. Outside its natural range, its foliage suffers from damaging windburn. The tree does not appreciate too arid soils or humid, hot summers.


http://www.monumentaltrees.com/en/trees/giantsequoia/elsewhere/

Yo_Mama

(8,303 posts)
8. Yes, it's ecosystem contamination
Mon Apr 22, 2013, 01:04 PM
Apr 2013

I'm not sure why this is a good thing.

Wouldn't it be better to reforest areas with their own native species?

hunter

(38,263 posts)
9. Similar sorts of trees existed in many of these places...
Mon Apr 22, 2013, 01:53 PM
Apr 2013

... but are now extinct.

The idea of recreating long lost ecosystems using similar, usually related, species is controversial.

More:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleistocene_Rewilding

XemaSab

(60,212 posts)
11. I think they're easier to clone than they are to grow from seed
Mon Apr 22, 2013, 02:17 PM
Apr 2013

You can get a living redwood burl that will grow into a giant tree.

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