Tree

Containment measures are in development to keep GMOs from escaping and potentially disrupting natural ecosystems. To that end, researchers have now conducted a multi-year study using GMO poplar trees and found that engineering them to be sexually sterile is an effective containment measure.

Vincent Callebaut Architectures recently unveiled a new conceptual mixed-use tower named Arboricole. Envisioned for Angers, France, the project features Callebaut's usual blend of greenery and high-tech sustainable technology, and would produce fruit and vegetables for its residents to pick.

Researchers from Western Sydney University have uncovered the novel strategies Australian eucalypt trees use to survive extreme heatwaves. One remarkable process involves the tree evaporating large volumes of water through its leaves in a process is similar to sweating.

Lumber is accompanied by documents that state its geographic origin, so buyers can check it wasn't harvested from protected areas. Unfortunately, those documents can easily be forged. That's why scientists have developed a method of determining where wood comes from, based on its chemical signature.

As many cities around the world become greener with plant-clad towers, vertical gardens and tree-filled urban developments, ​​a recent study has revealed that during heat waves, trees in a city can actually contribute to higher levels of air pollution.

In the fight to cut greenhouse gas emissions, we tend to think of trees as our allies, but new research suggests they might not be as "green" as we think. Researchers have found that some types of trees emit methane through their trunks, partly countering their role as a greenhouse gas sink.

​If you work in the forestry industry, then you'd better know that you're cutting down the right type of trees. With this is mind, Finnish researchers have created a new laser-based tree classification system.

When pine trees are harvested, the needles are simply discarded. Before too long, however, that may change. Scientists have recently developed a renewable plastic, made with a chemical derived from pine needles.

​​For almost a decade, scientist Todd Dawson has studied the giant sequoia trees of California's Whitaker Forest. But as the region suffers through a record-breaking drought, Dawson and his team are now getting some much needed help, by way of sensor-equipped drones

Planting trees in remote forest locations is a slow, laborious process that still relies on humans with shovels to do all the work. DroneSeed wants to drastically modernize that process by employing squadrons of drones to plant seeds, spray for invasive species, and monitor the tree growth process.

A newly-opened treetop walkway in the UK is said to be the longest in the country. The 300-m (984-ft) path at Westonbirt Arboretum takes visitors into the tree canopy, providing a perspective that would otherwise not be possible, along with views out across the surrounding landscape.

Timber furniture is made from a tree that has been cut down, sawed up, and stuck back together again. Wouldn't it make more sense to grow a tree straight into a piece of furniture? Gavin Munro thought so, now he grows all sorts of furniture straight out of the ground.