A Story of Lost Groves, the Science of Trees, and a Plan to Save the Planet

By Jim Robbins

The cast of characters reads like a science fantasy novel: Methuselah, Twin Stem, Old Blue, Gramma, Stagg and Waterfall. But these names aren’t the names of hobbits and elves; they’re behemoth trees — Champion Trees.

By Jonathan White

“‘It’s flooding,’ Lukasi, the elder, said.

It was a quiet beach, and to my eye there was no indication whether the tide was flooding or ebbing.

‘How do you know?’ I asked.

‘Fuzz,’ he answered…

‘What fuzz?’

‘When the tide is flooding, it picks up dust and pollen and insect larvae from the beach that sits on top of the water like a blanket. It doesn’t happen when the tide is dropping.’”