trees news stories on Newser

New York City's Neglected Killers: Trees

Evann Gastaldo — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:17:59 CDT

Over the past decade, at least 10 lawsuits have been filed over deaths or injuries from falling tree limbs or branches in New York City, a disturbing problem kept rather quiet by the city. In an extensive piece on the subject—the first in a series of three—the New...

Woman Torched Ancient Cypress to Better See Drugs

Kate Schwartz — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 11:41:02 CST

When we last visited the sad tale of "the Senator," arson had been ruled out as the source of the fire that felled the famously ancient cypress tree. Now, a pathetic and unfortunate cause emerges: Sara Barnes, 26, was charged yesterday with setting the fire that burned the 3,500-year-old...

One of the World's Oldest Cypress Trees Burns Down

Evann Gastaldo — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:53:49 CST

A historic cypress tree, thought to be one of the oldest in the world, is no more after catching fire and being destroyed early today. "The Senator," or "The Big Tree" as Central Floridians called it, was estimated to be 3,500 years old in 1946. "It's a nightmare," says...

Monster Sequoia Falls: Now What?

John Johnson — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 10:29:56 CDT

It is the mother of all roadblocks, or in this case a path-block. California's Sequoia National Forest is trying to figure what to do after a 1,500-year-old giant tree (actually a pair of trees fused at the base) crashed down on a forest trailway, reports the Los Angeles Times...

Hey, Landlords: Plant a Tree, Then Jack Rent

John Johnson — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:17:05 CDT

Landlords, grab your shovels. Having a tree on your property translates to an extra $5.62 a month in rent. So say two researchers (one of them from the Forest Service) who played around with Craigslist apartment listings in Portland, Oregon, along with tree data on Google Earth, reports Good...

Good Luck Finding the World's Tallest Tree

Evann Gastaldo — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 13:48:05 CDT

Nine years ago, the world’s tallest known tree was 369 feet high—roughly twice the size of the Statue of Liberty. But after holding that title for four years, a 379-foot tree was discovered in California’s Redwood National Park. That tree, nicknamed “Hyperion,” and the old title-holder, “Stratosphere Giant,” are...

Auburn U's 130-Year-Old Oak Trees Are Poisoned

Nick McMaster — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 17:01:36 CST

A 62-year-old man has been charged with criminal mischief in a crime that cuts to the heart of Auburn University. Harvey Updyke Jr. allegedly poisoned the 130-year-old oak trees at Toomer's Corner on the edge of campus that serve as mascots of sorts for the school. Generations of students have...

Wi-Fi Killing Trees? Not So Fast

Kate Schwartz — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 15:31:36 CST

Is your Wi-Fi router a menace to local plant life? Dutch scientists say quite possibly—but the Dutch government says quite possibly not. In response to the findings of the study commissioned by the Dutch city of Alphen aan den Rijn, the government's Antenna Agency issued a statement urging caution....

Wi-Fi Is Sickening Trees: Study

Slurge — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 11:45:05 CST

The radiation created by Wi-Fi networks is causing significant harm to trees in the Western world, according to a recent study from the Netherlands. Growth abnormalities, bleeding, and cracking of the bark—which cannot be ascribed to a virus or bacterial infection—were found in about 70% of all trees...