Jim Robbins (1)

The man who planted trees is David Milarch, alcoholic arm-wrestler whose near-death experience transformed the family tree nursery in Copemish Michigan into the Champion Tree Project. His goal is to clone trees of endangered and crucial species with the highest combined score of three measurements: height, crown size, trunk diameter. Are these genetically superior trees? Maybe or maybe not, but these are trees with proven ability to survive and thrive. Typically though, they are the oldest show more trees, and therefore the most difficult to clone.

Redemption, mysticism, adventure, ecology... never a dull moment in this tale of an intuitive obsession shaped by sobering science. Says the author: "If we are waiting for a team of distinguished scientists to issue a report warning that the world's forests are in crisis and recommending a ten-point plan to fix them, forget it. We have statistics of deforestation and fragmentation, and abundant information that is interspersed throughout the book: phytochemicals, phytoncides, endophytes, phytoremediation, the dense and varied ecosystems of tree canopies and tree roots, the attributes of bristlecone, oak, redwood, sequoia, willow, yew... We know enough to know how little we know, and enough to know that the planet is losing services that trees provide: cooling, carbon sequestering, water filtering. Says a doctor in the EcoHealth Alliance: "Any emerging disease in the last thirty or forty years has come about as a result of encroachment into forest." The author, as a result of research and interviews, shifted from thinking that "planting trees... is feel-good thing, a nice but feeble response to our litany of modern-day environmental problems" to thinking that "planting trees may be the single most important ecotechnology that we have to put the broken pieces of our planet back together."

David Milarch plants trees, but not haphazardly. Over twenty years, his project has devised techniques for cloning old trees, developed criteria for which trees should be planted where (emphasis on native and non-invasive), generated buzz and enough cash to keep going with the successful cloning of significant (both physically and emotionally) trees. A few years ago it acquired a philanthropist, Leslie Lee, who established the Arcangel Ancient Tree Archive, and a science advisor, Diana Beresford-Kroeger, whose bioplan guides the way.

This is a short book by a newspaper and magazine journalist, and it somewhat reads as articles pieced together, episodes with a common theme, not deeply technical. This is fine, more observation than criticism. It conveys the gist of the science, with a call to action and an inspiring example.

(read 29 May 2012) show less

I love trees, a good near-death experience story, and mystery. Jim Robbins crafted a marvelous book that switches back and forth between the story of David Milarch, who was told after a near-death experience to save the world's champion trees (the instructions came from Beings of Light), the history and science of trees, and the surprisingly large amount we still don't know about them.

Along the way, we meet a fascinating cast of characters, made up of both people and trees. We're in dire show more straits due to climate change and deforestation, but fortunately, there are still things we can do. Robbins helps us understand the plight we are in, giving a sense of urgency to the task. But he also helps us see forests and trees as fellow beings that we can't afford to ignore. Through a combination of facts and stories, he invokes a sense of wonder and a sense of purpose in the reader.

This is popular science writing at its best. show less

This book is a rare and wonderful mix of warm-hearted storytelling, hard-headed science reporting, and a smattering of mysticism integrated into an inspiring true story of how one man’s actions are now working to restore and reinvigorate the forests and help heal the planet.

The most grand and spectacular instances of each tree species are known as champion trees. Enthusiasts seek out these magnificent trees and nominate them for champion status. However, not until nurseryman Dave show more Milarch’s Near Death Experience were serious efforts made to clone these trees, archive their DNA, and distribute young trees—genetically identical to their champion parents—where they can continue to live and propagate.

Sadly some 95 percent of America’s ancient redwood forests have been logged. What remains are fragmented, making them less resilient. Much of our nation’s old growth forests are gone, or nearly gone. What remain are often runts, French poodles (Dave’s term for trees that are showy for a few years but not built to last), or exotic species. This reduces resiliency and greatly impacts biodiversity.

Fortunately due to Dave’s determined actions, cuttings from trees thousands of years old, from basal sprouts on the largest known tree stumps, and from many famously or secretly grand trees have been collected, sprouted, and are now growing in the Archangel Ancient Tree Archive. Work is underway to create “the global collection” of clones from a hundred of the biggest and oldest trees on earth. These sprouts are becoming available for reforestation and afforestation projects.

Trees cool urban heat islands, clean and manage water and air, act as natural mood elevators, reduce anxiety and depression, improve property value, mitigate noise, provide wildlife habitat, recreation, food and medicines. Reforestation with genetically proven stock provides an excellent opportunity to begin reversing ecological damage done over the past several centuries. The determined man who planted trees is making this possible. show less

Qirky, very quirky.

It would be hard to imagine a less likely environmental hero than David Milarch. Hard drinking and hard living, David's idea of a fun time is arm wrestling or a bar fight. That is until he has a Near Death Experience in which angels charge him with a mission. He is to go forth and be a modern day Johnny Appleseed -and save trees. Did I mention quirky?

This book is a unique blend of the metaphysical and science but that shouldn't be too surprising in a book about trees as show more they have long occupied that sort of place in the human psyche. Certainly this planet and humanity cannot survive without them. Jim Robbins tells the story of how David Milarch takes his mission to heart and travels around the globe searching for what are known as Champion Trees - the largest and/or oldest tree of their kind. To save them he uses his skills as a nurseryman to attempt to clone them - a delicate, difficult and often disappointing process - in order to preserve and reproduce their genetics in its purest form. After all if a tree is the oldest of its kind it must be doing something right! As the story progresses one comes to know these Champion Trees as characters in their own right. And the pain is sharp when one of these special specimens is damaged or destroyed through pure stupidity. Yet the book is more far reaching then just individual trees, it also explores trees/forests as systems and their impact on humans, climate and the environment. This surprised me most about this story - how little is known about how the 'system' works. Science, in its current reductionist mode literally cannot see the forest for the trees.

I enjoyed this book immensely - to the point where I have listed it in my 'favorites' collection. I found the juxtaposition of science/tech with New Age/intuition well done and interesting. Although, in all honesty, the message was very chilling to me. I remember reading Mike Tidwell's book _Bayou Farewell_ almost a year before Hurricane Katrina. Tidwell warned about the potential consequences that wetland destruction could have on the Gulf Coast should there be a hurricane and his predictions were heartwrenchingly accurate. My hope is that the message of David Milarch and Jim Robbins is heeded before it is too late. Highly recommended especially for anyone with environmental/ecological interests. show less