In his latest book, Elderflora, Jared Farmer chronicles a history of exploration and study, destruction and preservation that will keep humans and age-old trees intertwined for the long haul.
Despite a range of threats, from droughts and cyclones to goats and militarization, Socotra's iconic trees are staging a slow, patient comeback—with the help of the people who know them best.
Permanently protecting large, mature forests is a faster and cheaper way to stabilize Earth's climate than complex carbon capture and storage schemes, and more effective than planting new trees.
