Scientists can look to tree rings to supplement the history of an area, but for David Milarch, the entire tree is significant.
Milarch founded the Champion Tree Project with his sons, Jared and Jake, 20 years ago to create living libraries of the 846 species of trees in the United States. In 2009, the three men decided to give their organization a new name, Archangel Ancient Tree Archive, and to expand it globally.
Based in Traverse City, Mich., the Archangel Ancient Tree Archive's mission is to archive the genetics of ancient trees in living libraries around the world by propagating old-growth trees and using their offspring to reforest.
"We need to archive the genetics of the remaining old-growth trees that are growing on Earth," said David Milarch. "Here in the United States, 98 percent of all the old-growth trees have been cut down. In California, about 96 percent of all Coast Redwoods have been cut down.
"Why is that a tragedy? Because we never even studied them before we cut them down, we didn't know what roles they played in the ecosystem."
Milarch believes that the genetics of long-living trees should be studied to understand how they have managed to survive and thrive. One reason may be due to better immune systems, which would make their genetics vital to successful reforestation.
Working with a range of sources, from professional tree finders to big-tree lists,
When planting, Archangel recommends that no more than 10 percent cloned trees are used for reforestation to maintain genetic diversity and to also allow their genes to mix with the existing trees. The goal is to strengthen the forest overall. Care is given to the selection of the site where the trees are to be planted and why. Sites may be selected in order to aid in phytoremediation, erosion control, runoff management and habitat settings.
Volunteers with the Milarchs' nonprofit organization give their time to assist in all areas of the process, from gathering samples for Archangel's nurseries to planting new trees. Schoolchildren in New York, Michigan and Northern California have also become part of the organization's outreach, helping to plant trees in the thousands.
David Milarch's great-grandfather was a nurseryman, and his passion became a family business. Traverse City is known for its large cherry production, so the Milarch family began growing shade trees for the fruit trees in the area. Milarch's grandchildren mark the sixth generation living on the same land.
"We're tuned into nature," Milarch said. "With that many generations, you have a pretty good grasp of what makes trees tick. "
Milarch and his tree archive caught the attention of New York Times science writer Jim Robbins 11 years ago. After his first story about the project, Robbins continued to follow and write about Milarch's efforts. Last April, "The Man Who Planted Trees: Lost Groves, Champion Trees and an Urgent Plan to Save the Planet" (Spiegel & Grau, $25) was published. It includes information Robbins has gained from his talks with many scientists about trees.
"People are amazed at some of the latest science on what trees really do. Most people don't know that trees communicate with each other. Trees feel pain and when a tree feels pain, it puts out signals and other trees in the area go into a protection mode. Trees emit aerosols out of their leaves and out of their roots that are natural antibiotics and natural disinfectants," Milarch said.
Milarch credits Robbins' book to helping raise awareness about Archangel, which in turn has helped with getting funding. Most recently, the organization planted an old-redwood forest in Oregon from cloned trees. It is looking for sites to plant two old-growth groves in California, in an arboretum or on a large parcel of unused land. The group is also seeking donations to create a living archive in Ireland.
Milarch hopes that the work Archangel is doing can serve as a model for others around the world to follow and lead to more reforestation.
"All is not lost. We can put the trees back for our children and grandchildren," he said. A clone of a 3,000-year-old tree can be cloned again and again, "and with the science and with our work, the great trees and the genetic lineage of those trees never has to die. "