Tree time ABC Photo Archives/ABC via Getty
In the Pacific Northwest, no tree is as important as the Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii). The conifer is the dominant tree of the region’s rainforests. It was the basis of the traditional timber-based economy and continues to be an important source of timber in plantations around the world. But now, research suggests the iconic tree – famous for its prominence in – may face a future rife with disease and decline, fuelled by a warming climate.
The culprit is Swiss needle cast (SNC), a fungus that grows only on Douglas firs. SNC (…
