Trees are the Lungs of the Earth: "Archangel Ancient Tree Archive"

 

The Archangel Ancient Tree Archive is a most amazing organization with an essential mission.  Their mission, in three words, is to "Propagate, Reforest, Archive".  They want to propagate the world's oldest trees before they're gone by cloning them (more later); they want to reforest the earth with the offspring of these ancient trees; and finally, to archive the genetics (the DNA) of these great and ancient trees before they disappear from the earth.  From their website (www.ancienttreearchive.org):  "Trees are excellent at sequestering carbon dioxide, releasing oxygen, and providing beneficial aerosols and medicines. They are essentially a global warming solution." 

The organization is creating a "living library of old-growth tree genetics by cloning these old growth trees through traditional and advanced horticultural propagation for the purpose of future research and functional reforestation".

Their Michigan warehouse houses thousands of trees that have been cloned from the biggest and best trees in the forest.  This is truly selective breeding.  

Trees have DNA.  In fact they have more DNA than humans, which has made cloning trees very difficult.  The Ancient Tree Archive organization has figured out how to clone trees, like Redwoods, and by so doing, will allow these cloned trees to grow just like the originals--tall and strong.  100% of the DNA from the original tree goes into the cloned tree.  Propagating trees from clones is better than propagating from seeds because seeds only capture 50% of the DNA.  And further, the purity of the breed is guaranteed with cloning.  The success rate of propagating using the cloning method is only 3%, but at the scale that AATA organization is using, that becomes many successes.

So they go after the oldest trees they can find.  Cloning young trees is easier, but cloning old trees captures more of the DNA that they want.  They cloned a John Muir giant Sequoia and a 2000 year old bald cypress tree from Florida.

AATA is a non profit organization funded by private donations.  I think what they're doing is critical for the survival of our planet.  Give someone a birthday or Christmas present by donating to AATA.  www.ancienttreearchive.org.