World’s oldest trees threatened by climate change

The Great Basin bristlecone pines are considered the world's oldest trees. For thousands of years, they've thrived in the mountainous regions of California, Nevada, and Utah. These twisted pines are incredible survivors, thanks to their root system and waxy needles, which help them survive in areas like Death Valley, where water is scarce. Plus, their thick resin repairs wounds quickly.

Great Basin bristlecone pine

The world's oldest tree, nicknamed Methuselah, has lived for more than four thousand years. For its protection, its location in Inyo National Forest remains a mystery to all but a few trusted forest employees. Though neither the biggest nor most beautiful tree, this bristlecone pine has survived through the rise and fall of empires since the bronze age.

But now, climate change threatens these long-standing trees' very existence.

Years of severe droughts in the West have weakened the Great Basin bristlecone pine. And the rising temperatures have caused the bark beetle population to explode.

The pine bark beetles burrow into the bark of pines, laying eggs. As the larvae hatch, they eat through the tree's living tissues and disrupt the transport of water and nutrients. In recent years many other pines have suffered infestations of the bark beetle, but the bristlecone pine has remained largely unaffected until now.

This new surge in the bark beetle population, combined with years of excessive drought, has damaged many of the majestic trees and even killed some.

We're seeing the effects of climate change right before our very eyes, destroying organisms that have survived every human development since the alphabet. We can't let this continue. That's why we're building this movement and why we have to make our voices heard.

More soon,

Rob