Thought extinct 2 million years ago, Wollemi pines were rediscovered in 1994. Scientists hope to reintroduce this species into the wild through a conservation effort that could take centuries.
Wollemi pines (Wollemia nobilis) were believed to have disappeared about 2 million years ago. Fossils of the species dating to the Cretaceous period (145 million to 66 million years ago) show that their appearance has not changed much since then.
In 1994, hikers in Australia’s Blue Mountains came across a remnant of these ancient conifers. Now only about 60 remain in the Wollemi National Park area. They are threatened by Phytophthora cinnamomi, a pathogenic water mold that causes death, and by the extreme fires that intermittently ravage this part of New South Wales.
Since their rediscovery, Wollemi pines have been cultivated in botanical gardens and special areas around the world. The Wollemi Pine Recovery Team, a partnership between Australian government scientists and conservationists, has begun the process of replanting saplings at three sites in Wollemi National Park.
Following the transplant work in 2012, the recovery team launched a more intensive project in 2019. More than 400 saplings were planted at two sites and several thousand gallons of water were transported to the plants due to drought conditions. Later that year, a significant number of trees were destroyed by forest fires. By 2023, only 58 saplings had survived.
In 2021, 502 more Wollemi pines were planted to replace those lost to fires. “The survival rate far exceeded expectations, in part due to several years of favorable La Niña conditions following the 2021 population increase,” the researchers said. La Niña is a periodic climate pattern with colder than average waters in the central and east central equatorial Pacific. Increased rainfall due to climatic events has benefited new plantings, but this looks set to end. In 2022, landslides caused by heavy rains caused more deaths, but more than 80% survived. More will be planted in 2024.
The team has taken extensive steps to prevent Phytophthora from entering the sites. Their locations are hidden from the public and even the relocation team limits their time near the plants. They repeatedly disinfect their shoes to reduce the likelihood of tracking traces of mold in the water. Even a few spores could mean death for this nascent population.
The team said they also deliberately placed some of the young trees in areas that may be exposed to wildfires, which may provide us with information about their ability to respond to and withstand fire.
While the new populations are being intensively monitored, the fate of the species in the wild is uncertain. Young trees grow less than 1 centimeter a year, so it will take decades for them to reach maturity and produce seeds.
Other climate-related problems, such as fires and reduced rainfall, are likely to affect restoration efforts in the coming years. The scientists see their efforts as a multi-generational endeavor. A new group of managers will need to take their place in the coming decades.
“Given the slow growth and maturation of Wollemi pines in the wild, this is likely to take decades, if not centuries,” the researchers said. Projected increases in fires, drought frequency and severity due to climate change are probably the greatest threats to them, their long-term security is far from guaranteed.”