The Dawn redwood: Our Own Living Fossil
By Sadie Swieca
11/10/2016
On a sunny day in Vermont, UVM students can be found sprawled out across campus. We students know how to take advantage of good weather; we understand what is in store for us in the winter. But how often do we put any thought into the tree that protects us from the sun and supports us as we climb up its high branches? Some environmentalists can identify every tree on campus, but for the everyday student, the extent of our knowledge, and any sort of classification process, starts and ends with whether or not the tree is good for climbing. Have you ever imagined that you could be climbing one our planet’s few living fossils?
The Dawn Redwood, Metasequioa glyptostroboides, was believed to have been extinct for almost 60 million years. The tree was only studied through fossils until 1943, when it was rediscovered in a remote part of China. When scientists realized the live specimen was the fossil they had previously studied, they collected the Dawn Redwood’s seeds and spread them throughout the world. Now, this beautiful tree graces the UVM community with its presence on the Waterman Green (and arguably holds the title of best climbing tree).
The Dawn Redwood, however, is still a critically endangered conifer species, threatened by rice cultivation and regeneration difficulties. As you use its low, sturdy branches to climb higher into the sky, or gaze in awe at its brilliant red leaves in autumn, take a moment to truly appreciate this tree. Look at its fibrous bark that seems soft, yet strong. Look at all the life this living fossil provides, and as you climb higher and higher, think about all the hurdles the Dawn Redwood has made to get here in Vermont. Consider all that it has endured to survive for millions of years, and is now here, on campus, to support you as you climb, and to shade you as you read. As you walk to class, look at the trees you pass every day a little more closely, and imagine the journeys these species took to get here. Climb with a sense of curiosity and gratitude — for we are a part of these trees’ magnificent stories, and they are a part of ours.
