While standing in the midst of a grove of aspens in Utah, you’re actually in the presence of a single organism that’s 14,000 years old. Travel west to Oregon and hike on top of a 2,400-year-old fungus growing beneath the ground. Cross the Atlantic, and meet a rose bush that’s been blooming for over 1,000 years in Germany. These are the world’s presumed oldest plants and what we know about them.
Pando in Sevier, Utah (9,000 to 14,000 years)
The Pando clone spreads over 106 acres, consisting of over 40,000 individual trees. USDA / Forest Service
In Fishlake National Forest stands a grove of quaking aspens — trees known for their small leaves that shimmer and quake in the wind. This particular aspen grove, however, is actually one single organism. Its 47,000 individual trees — some of which are over 130 years old themselves — all grow from a single root system, meaning all of the trees in the grove are genetically identical. It’s technically the world’s largest tree, as determined by the U.S. Forest Service through genetic testing in the early 2000s. Named Pando — which is latin for “I spread” — the tree spans over 106 acres and is the densest organism ever found, weighing nearly 13 million pounds. While its specific age is debated, Pando is somewhere between 9,000 and 14,000 years old, initially sprouting some time after the last ice age. Sadly, according to scientists, Pando is showing signs of decline due to insects, disease and lack of regeneration from the overgrazing of deer and other animals.
King Clone in Lucerne Valley, California (11,700 years)
King Clone, the 11,700-year-old creosote bush ring in the Mojave Desert. Klokeid / public domain
Like the quaking aspens — and as the name suggests — King Clone is a clonal colony of genetically identical creosote bushes growing from one original plant. This ancient Larrea tridentata is located in the Mojave Desert, and radiocarbon dating puts it at 11,700 years old. The bushes grow and multiply in a slow, unique process. The oldest branches die over time, and their central stem crown (the top part of the plant) begins to split into different segments. The original stem and branches decompose, and those other stems that formed thus become independent, genetically identical plants. This process continues, often in a circular shape that creates the characteristic rings associated with creosote bush colonies. They also produce small, beautiful yellow flowers. The ring that’s known as King Clone has an average diameter of 45 feet, and continues to (slowly) grow.
Honey Mushroom in Grant, Oregon (2,400 years)
Honey mushrooms at the base of an infected grand fir in the Malheur National Forest, Oregon. Craig L. Schmitt and Michael L. Tatum / USDA Forest Service
Or, as locals call it, the “Humongous Fungus.” This Armillaria ostoyae may not be the oldest organism on Earth, but is the largest, stretching 2,200 acres in Oregon’s Malheur National Forest and weighing 35,000 tons. It’s not a massive, capped mushroom growing aboveground, but rather a huge network of hyphae underground, almost entirely hidden from sight — except during rainy periods in the autumn, when small honey mushrooms do sprout from the soil. Armillaria ostoyae is a parasitic fungus that consumes the roots of conifer trees. In the case of the Humongous Fungus, its size has been determined by the dead trees that grow above it. The mushroom was actually found because stands of trees were dying off — a Forest Service scientist suspected the fungus, and DNA tests proved that many trees in the area shared DNA, confirming his hypothesis. It grows and consumes roots slowly, expanding about 1-3 feet every year.
Thousand-Year Rose in Hildesheim, Germany (1,200 years)
Also called the Rose of Hildesheim, this 30-foot plant is believed to be the world’s oldest-living rose. The Rosa canina was probably planted in the early 800s when the church it grows on — Hildesheim Cathedral — was built, possibly by King Louis the Pious. The bush is extremely resilient, and was almost entirely destroyed when the church was bombed during World War II. The roots survived, however, and new branches grew from the ground that still sprout pink flowers every year in May.
Methuselah in Big Pine, California (4,800 years)
The Methuselah tree in Big Pine, California on June 29, 2013. Yen Chao / Flickr
Although the title of “oldest trees in the world” is hotly contested, the Methuselah tree is a top contender. This ancient bristlecone pine — or Pinus longaeva — is set apart from the aspens and other ancient trees given that it’s not a clonal organism. Methuselah is named after the biblical figure from the Old Testament who lived 969 years, but this tree is even older. It’s estimated that Methuselah the tree was germinated in 2832 BCE, meaning it is older than the Egyptian pyramids. It grows in the White Mountains of eastern California — specifically in the Methuselah Grove within Inyo National Forest — as a part of the Forest of Ancients within the National Forest, home to many ancient trees. At 135 feet tall, its massive size is even more impressive given its elevation. Its wood is resistant to rot and drought, and its beautifully twisted branches — which are shaped by the fast winds of the mountains — help the tree remain standing and resist breakages during storms. Don’t expect to easily find it, however, as Methuselah’s exact location is kept secret to protect it from damage by visitors.
Old Tjikko in Älvdalen S, Sweden (9,550 years)
This Norway spruce doesn’t look particularly impressive — in fact, it looks like any other old tree, growing on top of Fulufjället Mountain in Sweden’s Fulufjället National Park. However, it’s the oldest known individual clonal tree in the world, meaning the tree itself has regenerated from its roots many times. This specific trunk itself is several centuries old. This type of spruce can regenerate from its own branches that are pushed to the ground during snowstorms, which then take root themselves through a process called “layering.” Coast redwoods and western red cedars also reproduce this way. Old Tjikko’s old age indicates that it started growing soon after the retreat of the glaciers from the region during the last ice age.
Olive Tree of Vouves in Vouves, Greece (2,000 to 3,000 years)
On the Island of Crete stands the oldest olive tree in Greece. No one is sure whether it was planted by humans or by natural forces, but either way, it began growing before the rise of classical Greece. Miraculously, it still grows olives, and has for 2,000 years. The famous olive tree is at least that old, but scientists have been unable to determine its exact age while the tree is still standing, as its heartwood has decayed. A museum was built next to the 15-foot-wide, 27-foot-high tree to honor the olive harvesting techniques in Crete and the olives of the Mediterranean. Even if you haven’t visited the tree itself, you might have seen its boughs, which were placed on the heads of the winners of the 2004 Olympics in Athens.
The post 7 of the Oldest Living Plants on Earth appeared first on EcoWatch.
https://www.ecowatch.com/oldest-living-plants-facts-ecowatch.html
This week’s quote is from Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the U.S., philanthropist, and environmental advocate: “Like music and art, love of nature is a common language that can transcend political or social boundaries.”
Earth911 inspirations. Post them, share your desire to help people think of the planet first, every day. Click the poster to get a larger image.
This poster was originally published on February 7, 2020.
The post Earth911 Inspiration: Love of Nature Transcends appeared first on Earth911.
https://earth911.com/inspire/earth911-inspiration-love-of-nature-transcends-jimmy-carter/
It always strikes us as amusing how many DIY projects you see online that seem to require more time and more money than it would take to simply buy the thing they’re trying to DIY in the first place. Are we missing the point?
We think that doing things ourselves and taking back the power to create instead of simply consuming is absolutely vital to the green movement. But if you don’t already have the materials and spend a lot of money purchasing craft supplies, does it really make sense to DIY?
These eight projects are true do-it-yourself masterpieces. One-of-a-kind outdoor projects you can make for almost nothing, with supplies you most likely already have or can easily pick up second hand for a song. Roll up your sleeves and let’s get started!
1. Teapot/Teacup Bird Feeder
Do you have one of Grandma’s old tea sets lying around that doesn’t quite fit into the sleek modern aesthetic you’ve been cultivating? Put it to great use by feeding the birds in your area — in style.
Thrift stores are always awash in old china, so if you don’t already have the old tea set, consider going wild and spending a few bucks for this DIY delight. You’ll find blogger Dinah Wulf’s instructions for the teacup bird feeder at DIY Inspired.
Safety note: Use sturdy twine or cord — not chain — to hang the feeder. Birds can catch their toes in chain links, which causes serious injury. The National Audubon Society also recommends cleaning seed feeders every two weeks (more often in hot, humid weather) by scrubbing with soap and water and soaking in a 50-50 vinegar-water solution to prevent the spread of avian disease.
2. Gardening Tool Storage
What on earth do you do with those rusty-as-heck, old-school garden rakes hanging around your garage? Well, if you’re any sort of DIY genius, you press them into service as a gardening tool holder.
The original inspiration for this project came from Beth Logan at Artstuff Ltd., whose blog has since gone offline. For a current walkthrough, see the Repurposed Rake Tool Rack tutorial at DIY n Crafts (project #14 in their roundup of 25 ways to reuse old garden tools). The concept is embarrassingly simple — remove the rake handle, mount the head tines-out on a fence or garage wall, and use the tines themselves as hooks for trowels, gloves, and pruners — but eye-catching enough to make you look like a DIY pro.
3. Bottle Tree
Do you like wine? No, I mean do you really like wine? Do you want a reason to drink more of it? And does your garden need a cute border? This sustainable, upcycled garden border may be just the project for you. You might have to expand your drinking list to include bottles of various shapes, sizes, and colors — but variety is the spice of life.
When friends ask how you managed to collect so many bottles, just laugh gaily and then distract them with your dainty teacup bird feeder. The bottle tree tradition itself runs deep — Mississippi garden writer Felder Rushing traces the practice back through African American Southern folk art and, by his own research, as far as ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. See his bottle tree gallery and history for inspiration, or jump straight to his how-to guide for building one out of a cedar snag, rebar, or just about anything else.
4. Colorful Outdoor “Tiles”
If your backyard isn’t perfectly landscaped and manicured, with an impeccably tiled “outdoor living space,” don’t despair. You can use up all those half-empty paint cans and create a Pinterest-worthy colorful backdrop for evenings spent clustered around a fire or barbecue.
Pop a few coats of paint on cement tiles and you have a one-of-a-kind flooring solution. If you rent, the same effect could be achieved on a more temporary basis by letting the kids go wild with sidewalk chalk and create a mosaic masterpiece. Check out Elsie’s Painted Patio Tiles at A Beautiful Mess for the back story on this DIY idea. (Heads up: the original author noted she had to touch up the paint each spring in Missouri winters — a porch and patio floor enamel will hold up better than wall paint.)
5. Home Sweet Gnome
Okay, this one might be the least practical idea of the bunch, but that may be why I love it oh so much. If you have a stump in your backyard and you’re not willing or able to pay the truly insane amount it costs to have it ground down and removed, how about making it into a little gnome home? This is the perfect outdoor project if you have small children in your life.
Construct the trappings of a little house — door, windows, winding garden path — from found objects or natural materials, and affix them to the stump. Bonus points if you don’t tell the kids about this particular DIY project and allow them to simply stumble upon it one day in the garden. My mind would have been blown if I had come across one of these as a seven-year-old. For a step-by-step build, see this Gnome Tree Stump Home tutorial on Instructables.
Safety note: Don’t use an angle grinder to gouge windows or doors into a stump. Use a chisel and mallet for shallow detail work, or attach decorative pieces (driftwood, bark, polymer clay) to the outside instead.
6. Mosaic Stepping Stones from Broken China
Every household eventually accumulates a small graveyard of chipped mugs, a single survivor from a four-piece dinner set, or a beloved teapot with a hairline crack. Rather than tossing them — broken ceramics generally aren’t accepted in curbside recycling — embed them in concrete stepping stones for a garden path that’s genuinely one of a kind.
This pairs beautifully with the teacup project above: any teacups that don’t make it past Project #1 (you will break a few) can come back as paving. The DIY mosaic stepping stones tutorial at Gardening.org walks through the full process — breaking ceramics safely inside a drop cloth, sizing pieces to half-inch to one-inch fragments, pressing them into wet concrete, and sealing the surface so sharp edges don’t cause injury underfoot. Basic mold options include an old cake pan, a plastic plant saucer, or a purpose-built stepping stone form from a craft store.
Safety note: Wear safety glasses and heavy gloves when breaking ceramics. Once cured, run a finger over the surface to check for protruding edges and file or sand any down before placing the stone where bare feet might land.
7. Vertical Pallet Herb Garden
Shipping pallets are one of the world’s most abundant near-free materials. Small businesses, garden centers, and feed stores often have stacks of them out back, and asking politely beats the alternative of seeing them landfilled. Mounted vertically against a sunny wall or fence, a pallet becomes a stacked planter that holds enough herbs to keep a kitchen in basil, thyme, parsley, and chives all season.
Grit Magazine published a clear how-to for a vertical pallet planter — line the back and sides with landscape fabric or heavy plastic to hold soil, fill through the slats, and plant each gap as its own row. The gaps act as natural divisions, so different herbs don’t fight for the same root space.
Safety note: Use only heat-treated pallets for anything edible. Look for the IPPC stamp with the letters HT (heat treated) and avoid any stamped MB (methyl bromide — a fumigant restricted under the Montreal Protocol). Unstamped pallets are unknowns; skip them for food crops. The same heat-treated pallets are fine for ornamental flowers either way.
8. Punched Tin Can Lanterns
Steel food cans — soup, tomato, coffee — are one of the most recyclable materials on Earth, but the recycling-then-buying-something-decorative loop has plenty of slack in it. With nothing more than a hammer, a few nails of varying sizes, and the freezer, an empty can becomes an outdoor lantern that throws constellation patterns across a patio at dusk.
HGTV’s tin can lantern tutorial covers the trick that makes this project work: fill the can with water and freeze it solid before punching, so the ice supports the can wall and prevents denting. Sketch your pattern on paper, tape it to the frozen can, punch through with a nail at each marked dot, and let the ice thaw. Drop in a battery tealight (much safer outdoors than a real flame) and group them along a walkway or down the center of an outdoor table.
The Point of All This
None of these projects requires you to buy more than a tube of waterproof adhesive, a bag of concrete, or maybe a stepping stone mold. The materials — chipped china, leftover wine bottles, empty cans, a forgotten pallet, an old rake — are already in your house or someone else’s. That’s the point. The greenest project is the one that uses what already exists, and the best part is that yours will look like nobody else’s.
Editor’s Note: This article, originally authored by Madeleine Somerville on June 17, 2015, was updated with corrected links and new ideas in May 2026.
The post Outdoor Projects You Can DIY for Almost Nothing appeared first on Earth911.
https://earth911.com/diy/outdoor-projects-you-can-diy-for-almost-nothing/
More than half the world’s population—4.4 billion people—live in cities today. That number is expected to rise to 80% by 2050. Our guest, Nadina Galle, is a trailblazing ecological engineer and author of The Nature of Our Cities. She is an ecological engineer who studies the intersection of nature and technology in urban environments. Nadina developed the concept of an Internet of Nature (IoN) that uses tools like artificial intelligence, automation, and sensors to support and enhance ecosystems within cities. Nadina’s book offers a transformative perspective on how urban spaces can be reimagined in the face of climate change and sprawling development. She shares the inspiring story of the Groene Loper project in Maastricht, Netherlands, where soil sensors were deployed to monitor tree health. The results were remarkable, with trees supported by this technology growing up to three times larger than those without it. This is a powerful example of how technology can not only protect trees but also transform urban spaces into healthier, greener environments.
From fire and the wheel to the reinforced concrete frames that define modern buildings, we are surrounded by technology. We tend to forget that technology emerged in response to nature — too often, we treated nature as the enemy, the chaos to be contained instead of recognizing that nature’s cycles and changes are the harmony we need to join to sustain society. The loss of any semblance of natural patterns, which ultimately leads to the depletion of the resources necessary for life, has inevitably led to the collapse of previous major civilizations. Modern society has more runway than previous societies because we have created a global economy, but that risks an even greater fall for our species when the ecological underpinnings of our prosperity collapse. The Nature of Our Cities, is a powerful, straightforward, and emotionally resonant book to help you think through your role and choices in the restoration of nature. You can find it on Amazon or Powell’s Books.
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Editor’s Note: This episode originally aired in December 2024.
The post Best of Sustainability In Your Ear: Author Nadina Galle on The Nature of Our Cities appeared first on Earth911.
https://earth911.com/podcast/earth911-podcast-nadina-galle-on-the-nature-of-our-cities/
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