the Cedar trees growing on the slopes of the River Teide They have withstood altitude, winds and volcanic silence for centuries. Among them stands out com. treebeardIt is a specimen that was considered for years to be the oldest living tree in the European Union. Its name, taken from the character in Tolkien’s novel, has become synonymous with the longevity of the plant.
Treebeard’s importance was based on an impressive fact: Over 1480 years of life proven by carbon-14. This number was kept as a botanical reference in Europe until another cedar tree was discovered in the same area, expanding the record He removed his natural judgment. Discovery is understood as continuity, not as competition, because both samples They are part of the same lineage of ancient trees Which inhabit the cliffs of Teide and preserve the environmental memory of the island since the time of the Roman Empire.
A new discovery displaces veteran Treebeard without breaking his legacy
The new tree was identified by researchers from the Faculty of Forestry Engineering, Agriculture and Bioenergy Industry at the Duques de Soria Campus of the University of Valladolid. Experts from the University Institute for Sustainable Forest Management also participated in the conference. With the support of local climbers, the team made it Remote areas of Teide National Park to collect wood samples And analyze her age.
The result confirmed that the sample He is 1,544 years oldThis surpassed Barbol’s number of 1481. All of the rice remains Away from tourist areas Therefore, it is free from direct human influence. This distance from traffic and logging has allowed them to survive for over a thousand years at the same point where they germinated, oblivious to explosions and deforestation.
Carbon-14 dating allowed us to identify 25 samples Eight exceed a millennium and three exceed 1,500 years. The results show an ancient stand of cedar trees that once covered much of the current park. Gabriel Sanguesa BarredaThe professor at the University of Valladolid and a member of the field team explained, “This is one of the… Collections of the most important ancient trees in the European Union“Their persistence is due to the inaccessibility of the rocks in which they grow,” he added. The work combined forestry techniques and climbing skills to reach the specimens on the vertical walls. This effort enabled the collection of Unsurpassed botanical catalogue In the archipelago.
Each wooden ring tells the story of the volcano’s climate
The scientific value of these trees goes beyond their age. Each ring on its stems forms a Climate record Which allows us to reconstruct the environmental history of Teide. Thickness differences between annual layers are revealed Periods of drought, heavy rain or volcanic activity. Researchers believe this rice works Natural climate historians It can provide useful information for anticipating future environmental risks.
Juan Ignacio Ferrer“The restoration of the Teide Cedar is a gesture of reconciliation with the natural history of the island,” noted the head of the Endesa Foundation’s Biodiversity Department. The project, promoted in collaboration with the Cabildo of Tenerife and the University of Valladolid, aims to: Preserving endemic plants Strengthening the relationship between environmental science and management.
The result shows that European lands preserve very ancient botanical treasuresalthough not as long-lived as some clonal specimens from the north. In Finland, for example, a bushy juniper tree has been dated to be 1647 years old, even though it died out in 1906. This difference in shape shows that Canary cedar is considered the oldest living tree. Because it maintains its original stem and does not reproduce by roots. This issue enhances scientific interest in it Distinguish between cloned and non-cloned treesIt is a distinction that determines which species are still alive in a biological sense and which retain only ancient root systems.
The rarity of the find has revived interest in legendary trees in Europe, from the yew fortingale in Scotland to ancient Welsh specimens associated with cemeteries. They all share the same value: resistance to centuries of human and natural changes. At Teide, this resistance is still visible in every cedar tree that still rises above the volcanic stone.