66 million year old 'living fossil' tree grown in a secret place

A group of scientists is looking to reintroduce the extinct Wollemi pine 2 million years ago into the wild .

Scientists are planting "living fossil" trees in a secret location to bring lost species back from the brink of extinction in an effort that could last decades. The Wollemi pine ( Wollemia nobilis ) is thought to have disappeared 2 million years ago. Fossils of this species from the Cretaceous period (66 - 145 million years ago) show that they remained virtually unchanged in shape.

The Wollemi pine has not changed its shape for 66 million years. (Photo: ABC News).

In 1994, climbers in the Blue Mountains in Australia encountered a surviving individual of an ancient pine species . Currently, only about 60 trees exist in Wollemi National Park. They are threatened by Phytophthora cinnamomi , a pathogenic mold , and continuous bushfires in the state of New South Wales. Since its rediscovery, the Wollemi pine has been grown in botanical gardens and private lands around the world. The Wollemi Pine Restoration Team, a partnership between the Australian government and scientists and conservation experts, has begun the process of reintroducing young seedlings at three sites in Wollemi National Park.

According to team representatives, the chosen site includes a high-elevation sandstone canyon that is deep, narrow and steep enough to provide shelter for trees from intense wildfires and drought. The researchers also found no evidence of Phytophthora infection at the site when surveyed just before transporting the saplings, and the likelihood of visitors arriving was also very low due to its remote location.

After a pilot planting effort in 2012, the restoration team launched the broader project in 2019. More than 400 young seedlings were planted at two locations. Due to drought, the group then had to deliver thousands of liters of water to help the tree survive. Later that year, a large number of trees were destroyed by forest fires. Only 58 saplings will remain in 2023.

In 2021, an additional 502 Wollemi pine trees were planted in locations to replace trees lost in bushfires. Thanks to favorable conditions from the La Nina phenomenon, the number of surviving trees exceeded expectations. However, landslides caused by heavy rains in 2022 caused some trees to die. The recovery team has taken many measures to prevent Phytophthora infection. The location where the tree was planted was kept private, and even the restoration team limited their time near the tree. They constantly disinfect their shoes to prevent the possibility of carrying mold pathogens that cause root rot.

While the new tree population is closely monitored, the fate of the Wollemi pine in the wild remains uncertain. Young plants grow less than a centimeter a year, so they need decades to mature and produce seeds. Some plants can produce seedlings that grow from the parent stem, but it is unclear when they can grow on their own. Wildfires and other climate-related issues such as reduced rainfall are likely to affect recovery efforts in the coming years.