Excerpt from: The Threats Facing Trees — and How to Save Them
The Pulse, WHYY
From the soaring redwoods of California, to the emerald lushness of the Brazilian Amazon, to the lofty canopies of American Elms, trees add character and majesty to our natural landscapes. But trees aren’t just beautiful — they’re indispensable to our survival. They produce oxygen, sequester greenhouse gasses, and support countless species. But now, many of them are facing numerous threats.
Trees don’t only keep us cool on hot summer days — they help keep the planet cool through carbon sequestration, the absorption and storage of billions of tons of carbon dioxide every year. The giant trees of the Amazon rainforest shoulder much of that work — so when they’re ailing or dying, it has a big impact.
Featuring Cary Institute forest ecologist Evan Gora, the segment follows reporter Daniel Grossman to the Amazon to find out what’s causing these trees to die, and what scientists are doing about it.
