A recent study focused on the coniferous tree, also known as Alerce Milenario in Spanish. Conducted by Chilean scientist Jónathan Barichivich of the Laboratory of Climate and Environmental Sciences in Paris, the research revealed that this tree could potentially be up to 5,484 years old, exceeding the previous estimate by at least 600 years.
According to an article in The Guardian, Maisa Rojas, Chile’s environment minister and member of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, praised a recent scientific discovery as wonderful.
As a fun fact, the Patagonian cypress (Fitzroya cupressoides) is a tree native to Chile and Argentina that belongs to the same family as the giant sequoias. In 2020, Baričević attempted to take a sample from the great-grandfather, but was unable to reach its core with the drill he used. Instead, he used computer models to determine the tree’s age, taking into account environmental factors and random variations.
Since Barićhivić has not been able to accurately count the tree’s rings to determine its age, he has not yet published an estimate in a scientific journal. However, he has expressed hope of making up for it in the coming months.
If these findings are validated, the Milepani alert would be 600 years older than Methuselah, a California smooth pine currently recognized as the oldest tree in the world at 4,853 years old.
Meet Methuselah, a Great Basin bristlecone pine that holds the title of the world’s oldest tree. It’s a whopping 4,853 years old and can be found growing high in the White Mountains of Inyo County in eastern California. This former contender for the longevity crown has been protected by the cool, moist environment of the ancient bristlecone pine forest, which is home to mosses, lichens and other plants that thrive in its fissures. However, Methuselah’s existence is threatened by visitors who walk around its trunk and by droughts brought on by global warming, according to Barichivich.
The majestic Alerce Mileenario stands tall and proud. This stunning image captured by Faoch is a testament to its strength and beauty. According to the Forestry Institute of Chile, timber plantations in the southern region of the country cover more than 2.3 million hectares. Pulp production is an important industry for Chile.
Although almost 93% of the area is covered by plantations of water-thirsty non-native eucalyptus and pine trees, there has been a loss of over 780,000 hectares of native forest in Chile between 1973 and 2011. It is our sincere hope that the great-grandfather and other wild counterparts will survive human activity.
