Repopulating Sequoias Worldwide
Joe Aiken, Arborjet’s Great Lakes Regional Technical Manager is joining Bartlett Arborist Supply and the Archangel Ancient Tree Archive to propagate sequoia trees before it’s too late. Redwood trees are the tallest livings things on Earth, growing up to 400 feet tall and among the oldest living trees on the planet.
Coming Together
Joe Aiken shared how he got involved in this exciting endeavor, “Last year at the International Climbing Championship, I was talking to the climbers and my good friend, Jason Kappen, owner of Bartlett Arbor Supply, a hundred-plus year old company out of Detroit. I was thinking that this type of tree preservation goes hand-in-hand with what Arborjet does. Since then, through the meetings and gatherings I have gotten to know Jake Milarch of Archangel Tree Archives, a non-profit based in Michigan.”
For the Benefit of Trees
Mr. Aiken continued, “We leave May 19th for ten days to climb Giant Sequoias and Coastal Redwoods to harvest tissue to propagate phloem and grow Redwood trees. Seedlings are going to be propagated and spread around the world to reestablish redwood and sequoia forests. We are all spending our own money and energy and time to do this for the benefit of trees and to spread the word about this non-profit organization.
This falls into the philosophical approach of what Arborjet is all about. Tree preservation and a safer alternative for plant health care than what is currently available. We are trying to preserve the environment and as we try to save the trees long enough where people can harvest the tissue and propagate these trees before they are gone. It’s a great opportunity.”
Growth Coast Redwoods Disappear
Many ancient redwood trees have been growing for 3,000 years or more, but these could be their final days. Already 95% of old growth coast redwoods have been lost. The remaining redwoods are being threatened by global warming and human activity. Archangel Ancient Tree Archive is a nonprofit organization that believes that the genetics of California’s champion redwood trees hold secrets that have not yet been discovered. Their goal is to collect, clone, and archive the genetics of these important trees for future generations.
Reforesting the Earth
Archangel Ancient Tree Archive’s mission is to propagate the world’s most important old growth trees before they are gone and to archive the genetics of ancient trees in living libraries worldwide for the future. Reforesting the Earth with the offspring of these trees will provide a myriad of beneficial ecosystem services essential for all life forms to thrive including releasing oxygen, sequestering carbon dioxide, providing beneficial aerosols and medicines. Most importantly, this work is essentially a global warming solution.
Would you like make a tax-deducible gift to help save the Giant Sequoias and Redwoods from possible extinction?
