Episode VIII: Big Research on Garden Trees with Drew Zwart

Read the companion article here.

While some areas of science get a lot of flashy language, Garden Futurist co-producers Sarah Beck and Adrienne St Clair discover that what is happening in the tree research lab may also be described in “explosive” terms. Some of this large-scale research also informs low-tech takeaways that gardeners can use right away. Decisions we make in our home landscapes can have direct impacts to our carbon footprint.

Dr. Drew Zwart is a plant pathologist and physiologist at Bartlett Tree Experts. He works out of the Bartlett Tree Research Lab West in San Rafael, California. He explains that while trees that sequester carbon eventually decompose and re-release their carbon into the atmosphere, it’s the services they provide in life—such as shade and irrigation—that leave a net positive impact on the environment.