104
A tree so alone it warranted a spot on continental maps, until a drunk driver erased three centuries of solitude in a single night. (share.google)
submitted 1 day ago by to c/fuckcars@lemmy.world
22 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

In 1973 a reportedly drunk driver flattened a tree in the middle of the Sahara, which sounds unremarkable until you learn it was the only tree for 250 miles around, a 300-year-old acacia so isolated it was marked on maps covering half a continent. https://share.google/ePM21R48Aq0VRqTUb

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] 8 points 1 day ago (5 children)

Someone should replant it. Surely we have the technology.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • hideshow 5 child comments
    •
  • [–] 15 points 1 day ago (3 children)

    New trees haven't been able to grow there for centuries. You'd have to spend a century giving the new tree progressively deeper irrigation until the roots reach the current water table, 40+m deep.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 3 child comments
    •
  • [–] 6 points 1 day ago* (2 children)

    Yeah I realize it would require irrigation but that's very doable with modern technology.

    We could fundraise an electric truck to bring the water or something.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
    •
  • [–] 1 point 15 hours ago*

    We do and we might get back there eventually if we keep up with water harvesting techniques and permaculture designs in the region, which are aimed at greening the edge of Sahara

    Andrew Millison has a few episodes on this on his channel. For those interested, non YT links:

    How Africa's Great Green Wall is Solving an Ancient Conflict which shows projects in Chad

    How Refugees are Greening the Edge of the Sahara near the border with Sudan in Chad

    Inside Africa's Food Forest Mega-Project with projects in Niger

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent