#wollemi pine

Please accept my terrible meme for two real OGs. (I have a very healthy wollemi pine in a pot and I love her to pieces. DINO TREE DINO TREE!!)

DINO TREE DINO TREE DINO TREE

DINO FISH DINO FISH DINO FISH

Meet The World’s Most ‘Safeguarded’ Tree - A Jurassic Survivor Thought Extinct Until 1994 - by Scott Travers Contributor I write about the world of biology.

Forbes - Innovation - Science

Hidden in the remote canyons of Wollemi National Park, in New South Wales, Australia, is a tree so rare & ancient that its exact location remains a closely guarded secret.

The Wollemi Pine (Wollemia Nobilis), a conifer in the 200 million year-old Araucariaceae family, thought to have vanished from the planet - until a chance discovery in 1994 rewrote botanical history.

Since then, this prehistoric survivor has been at the center of 1 of the world’s most intense conservation efforts. Its wild population, numbering just a handful of trees, is strictly monitored, with measures in place protecting it from poaching, disease & environmental threats. Even those permitted to visit the site must undergo decontamination procedures, ensuring that this Jurassic relic remains untouched by modern dangers.

The Wollemi Pine Was Discovered In 1994—Purely By Chance

In September 1994, David Noble, a field officer with the New South Wales National Parks & Wildlife Service, was trekking through a deep, narrow gorge in Wollemi National Park. As an experienced bushwalker & canyon explorer, he had navigated the rugged terrain before - but this time, something caught his eye. Towering above the dense vegetation was a tree unlike anything he had ever seen. Its dark, knobby bark, which looked like bubbling chocolate and its fern-like foliage were eerily reminiscent of fossils he had encountered in books. Curious, he collected a few samples and took them back for identification.

What followed was one of the most shocking botanical discoveries of the century. Experts confirmed that the tree was not only a new species but also a completely new genus – Wollemia - a rare example of a “living fossil” (something like the Gingko biloba). With close relatives dating back to the Jurassic, the Wollemi pine had defied extinction, surviving in isolation within this hidden canyon, completely undisturbed.

The Wollemi Pine Is The ‘Botanical Equivalent Of A Small Dinosaur’

Noble took some samples to the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney, where they were examined by botanists Wyn Jones & Jan Allen, who recognized the significance of what they were looking at. They handed it over to Carrick Chambers, the then-Director of the Royal Botanical Gardens, who claimed that it was the “botanical equivalent of finding a small dinosaur still alive on Earth.”

It’s not every day that a tree from the dinosaur era is found alive & thriving. It is a direct link to the ancient past, giving valuable insights into plant evolution & resilience.

The 1st order of business, after realizing there were only 100 trees in the wild, was securing their survival. Conservationists quickly restricted access to the site, ensuring that the trees would remain undisturbed. The exact location of the grove was kept confidential, and only a handful of researchers were allowed near it.

Strict biosecurity measures were put in place to prevent the introduction of pathogens, particularly Phytophthora cinnamomi, a deadly soil-borne disease that could wipe out the fragile population. Anyone permitted to visit had to undergo decontamination procedures to minimize the risk of contamination.

The Wollemi Pine Today - From Secrecy To A Symbol Of Conservation

Despite its fragile status, the iconic tree has not only survived but become a global conservation icon. Recognizing the need to safeguard its future, conservationists have worked ensuring that young trees now grow in botanic gardens & private collection the world over, far beyond the remote canyon where they were 1st  discovered.

The Wollemi Pine Is Now A ‘Diplomatic Gift’ & A Symbol Of Resilience

Over the years, the tree has taken on a new role in global diplomacy, symbolizing resilience, longevity & the importance of conservation. Seedlings have been planted in prestigious locations, including the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney, Kew Gardens in London & other protected sites around the world​.

These young pines act as ambassadors for biodiversity, reminding us that some of Earth’s most ancient species still need protection.

Wollemi Pine - A Future Beyond The Wild

In 2005, the Wollemi pine was made commercially available, allowing individuals & institutions to own & grow this prehistoric marvel​. The idea was simple: by putting the pines in backyards & botanic gardens, conservationists could reduce the risk of illegal poaching while securing a future for the species outside its vulnerable wild habitat.

Though the commercial partnership officially ended in 2010, many young trees continue to be cultivated worldwide. Today, owning a Wollemi pine is not just a novelty - it’s a small but meaningful act of conservation. Meanwhile, in its native habitat, the species remains under strict protection. As of 2021, only 46 adult trees remain in the wild, accompanied by many dozen juveniles​. Conservationists closely monitor the population, implementing biosecurity measures to shield the trees from disease, climate change & wildfires (the 2019-20 wildfire in Australia destroyed several Wollemi pines) – all of which pose a constant threat​.

What began as a secret discovery deep in the canyons of Wollemi National Park has now evolved into one of the most remarkable modern day conservation stories. While the species remains critically endangered, conservation efforts have helped secure its future beyond the wild. The Wollemi Pine now grows in gardens, research institutions & protected landscapes worldwide - but its survival in the wild still hangs in the balance. For a tree that coexisted with dinosaurs, that’s not a bad comeback.

The story of the Wollemi pine speaks to the amazing resilience of life on Earth. But it is also a reminder of how delicate and irreplaceable our natural world is. Take the free Connectedness To Nature Scale to learn how important nature is to you.

A unique gymnosperm only discovered in 1994, in temperate rainforest in steep-sided sandstone canyons 150km NW of Sydney by David Noble, Michael Casteleyn, and Tony Zimmerman, who were exploring the area for new canyons. Noble recognised them as something unusual (for one thing the bark resembles the breakfast cereal Coco Pops) but didn't learn HOW unusual until 6 months later when the National Parks lifted the veil of secrecy about the discovery.

Wollemi Pine is not a pine - it's in the Araucariaceae family, and Agathis and Araucaria are its only living relatives. The family has been declining in variety since the Cretaceous.

There about 60 trees left in the wild, although some may actually be connected by the roots, and they're effectively genetically identical to each other. It's very likely that at some point in the last 10 to 26.000 years, they were down to a single tree.

In November 2005, wild-growing trees were found to be infected with Cinnamon Dieback, a virulent water mould probably introduced by unauthorised visitors to the site, the exact location of which is still secret. The wild grove was also nearly destroyed during the 2019–2020 bushfire season, and were saved by specialist firefighters from the National Parks and Wildlife Service, supported by the Rural Fire Service who installed an irrigation system as well as dropping fire retardant.

Fortunately, the tree can be cloned, and is now cultivated in botanical gardens and increasingly by home gardeners around the world. It is surprisingly much more tolerant of a wide range of climate than the original unusual habitat would suggest.

Kinda wish more people would talk again about the living fossil trees they found in Australia

The Wollemi Pine tree

Apparently it’s from the time of the dinosaurs

There’s only 90 of them found in the wilds of Australia so there are efforts to grow more for the future and to keep them from going extinct again

I remember as a kid it was a big deal when they 1st found out about them

#girlboss