Close Menu
Technology Mag

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the latest creative news from FooBar about art, design and business.

    What's Hot

    Google makes it easier to let friends and kids control your smart home

    July 1, 2025

    Cloudflare Is Blocking AI Crawlers by Default

    July 1, 2025

    The GOP’s big spending bill could kill renewable energy projects

    July 1, 2025
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Subscribe
    Technology Mag
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube
    • Home
    • News
    • Business
    • Games
    • Gear
    • Reviews
    • Science
    • Security
    • Trending
    • Press Release
    Technology Mag
    Home » Only the Hardiest Trees Can Survive Today’s Urban Inferno
    Science

    Only the Hardiest Trees Can Survive Today’s Urban Inferno

    News RoomBy News RoomMay 27, 20243 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Reddit WhatsApp Email

    The rules for Toronto’s ravines are based on the idea that a species will develop traits specific to a location as they grow over many generations. As a result, trees grown from seeds gathered in Toronto may be more likely to blossom when native pollinators are active than seeds from the same species grown at a lower latitude.

    Foresters say there’s another valid argument for trying to keep as many native trees as possible. For some First Nations and Indigenous people with deep ties to particular varieties, phasing them out could add to the long history of cultural and physical dispossession.

    In the Pacific Northwest, for example, the Western redcedar (written as one word because it’s not a true cedar) is central to Native American cultural practices for many local tribes. Some groups refer to themselves as the “people of the cedar tree,” using the logs for canoes, basketry, and medicine.

    But drying soils mean the tree is no longer thriving in many parts of Portland, Oregon, said Jenn Cairo, the city’s urban forestry manager. The city has faced deadly heat domes and drier conditions in recent years. As a result, Portland recommends planting the species only in optimal conditions in its list of approved street trees. “We’re not eliminating them,” she said, “but we’re being careful about where we’re planting them.”

    A similar tactic is being used in Sydney, where the Port Jackson fig tree is struggling, but a close relative, the Moreton Bay fig, is thriving. Head of urban forestry Karen Sweeney said the city is looking at irrigated parklands as potential homes for native species that are dying elsewhere in the city. “We often say we’re happy to do it where we can find a location,” she said.

    When introducing new tree species to supplement the urban canopy, they must be sure any newcomers won’t spread invasively—dominating their new habitats and causing damage to native species.

    There are plenty of examples of what to avoid. The Norway maple, native to Europe and western Asia, has escaped the bounds of North American cities, creating excessive shade and crowding out understory plants—they’re one of the invasive species pushing out natives in the ravines of Toronto. Tree of heaven, native to China, deposits chemicals into the soil that damage nearby plants, letting it establish dense thickets and drive out native species; it is illegal to plant in parts of the US, including Indiana, where residents are urged to pull it up wherever they see it. The highly flammable eucalyptus, native to Australia, has put down roots all over the world, bringing increased wildfire danger along with it.

    Urban tree experts don’t expect introduced species to cause major disruptions to native wildlife. Done right, adding some variety to cities dominated by one kind of tree could reduce the problems caused by waves of pests or disease. A patchwork of species could create a buffer against tree-to-tree infection among the same species. While it’s possible that new plant species displace plants used by animals that depend on one kind of plant to survive, those cases are the exception, said Esperon-Rodriguez, the ecologist at Western Sydney University.

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleThe Best Google Assistant Speakers for Your Home
    Next Article Pocket-Sized AI Models Could Unlock a New Era of Computing

    Related Posts

    How to Make AI Faster and Smarter—With a Little Help From Physics

    July 1, 2025

    ‘They’re Not Breathing’: Inside the Chaos of ICE Detention Center 911 Calls

    June 29, 2025

    The FDA Just Approved a Long-Lasting Injection to Prevent HIV

    June 28, 2025

    Scientists Are Sending Cannabis Seeds to Space

    June 27, 2025

    How the Universe and Its Mirrored Version Are Different

    June 25, 2025

    Scientists Discover the Key to Axolotls’ Ability to Regenerate Limbs

    June 25, 2025
    Our Picks

    Cloudflare Is Blocking AI Crawlers by Default

    July 1, 2025

    The GOP’s big spending bill could kill renewable energy projects

    July 1, 2025

    A Dedicated Hot Dog Cooker Is the Spirit of American Summer

    July 1, 2025

    Nothing Headphone 1 review: head-turning

    July 1, 2025
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • Vimeo
    Don't Miss
    News

    The MLS Season Pass is 50 percent off ahead of the All-Star game and Leagues Cup 

    By News RoomJuly 1, 2025

    Major League Soccer (MLS) is now nearly halfway through its 2025 season, and Apple is…

    Senator Blackburn Pulls Support for AI Moratorium in Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Amid Backlash

    July 1, 2025

    Laptop Mag is shutting down

    July 1, 2025

    How to Make AI Faster and Smarter—With a Little Help From Physics

    July 1, 2025
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of use
    • Advertise
    • Contact
    © 2025 Technology Mag. All Rights Reserved.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.