New life, new hope for a forest being killed by the climate crisis

The grey and yellow box eucalypts of Nardoo Hills are going to die.

A drought-affected tree at Nardoo Hills.

They are already withering, leaves turning brown and falling off. Many are already dead.

The trees are victims of the climate crisis. Within the past decade, the climate here, three hours' drive north of Melbourne, has become too hot and too dry for them. About 20 per cent of the trees in some parts of the region are already dead or dying.

“Thousands have died. It’s a lot of trees. Tens of thousands are showing signs of decline. We’re talking saplings as well,” says ecologist Dr Matt Appleby. “Another hot summer might be the death knell for many more.”

Read the story from The Age by Liam Mannix - “New life, new hope for a forest being killed by the climate crisis.”