A daily DNA blog article
Written by: Sarah Sherman, Ph.D
Photography: Rita Clare, Sciotica
If you stop and think about it, most of us probably have an important memory of a tree. Maybe you had that oak tree that shaded your backyard, strong enough for a tire swing or a secret hideout treehouse. Or maybe it’s the magnolia that blooms outside your grandmother’s kitchen window, marking the beginning of every Southern summer.
Trees frame the moments that shape us. But beyond their sentimental value, trees quietly keep our planet running. They clean our air, manage our water, shelter wildlife, cool our cities, and make the Earth livable.
And right now, many of them need our help.
The power of a tree
We depend on trees in more ways than we realize. A mature tree can absorb hundreds of pounds of carbon dioxide each year, acting as a natural air filter and climate regulator. Their root systems hold soil in place and help regulate water flow, preventing erosion and flooding. Forests also provide a home for countless creatures, from tiny fungi to giant bears.
But it’s not just the planet that benefits from trees. Spending time among trees lowers blood pressure and stress levels, improves focus, and even strengthens immune function. In short: healthy trees mean healthy us.
There are many ways trees are stressed.
As strong as they look, trees are surprisingly sensitive to stress. Increased drought, global temperature fluctuations, pollution and land development can all weaken trees. When trees are stressed, they are more vulnerable to disease and insect attack.
And the most devastating threats sometimes come from far away. Invading insects and fungi can hop continents on shipping crates, nursery plants or wood. Native tree species that have evolved without these invaders have very few defensive defenses.
A classic cautionary tale is the American chestnut. Once a giant of the eastern American forests, the chestnut tree could grow ten stories tall and feed everything from deer to bears with its nuts. But an imported fungus called chestnut blight spread in the early 1900s, killing an estimated four billion trees within decades.
This kind of loss reshapes ecosystems, economies, and entire communities. He also pointed out how quickly a species of tree can become extinct, and why science also has to act fast.
How tree genomics offers a way forward.
Every tree, just like every person, has a unique genetic “instruction manual” written into its DNA. Within this manual are traits that help some trees survive drought, resist disease, or tolerate heat better than others. By decoding and comparing these genetic differences, scientists can understand why certain trees thrive where others struggle, and use this insight to help restore forests.
Genomics, the study of the DNA of all living organisms, allows researchers to read this guide in remarkable detail. With the right data, they can identify genetic changes associated with resilience, then apply that knowledge to aid in breeding or restoration programs that strengthen entire forest populations.
Chestnut’s second chance
At Hudson Alpha, researchers are part of a national effort to restore the American chestnut tree. Once a dominant tree in eastern American forests, it is now nearly extinct due to chestnut blight. But some rare individuals show signs of natural resistance. By studying their DNA, scientists can identify the genetic clues that allow them to survive.
of Hudson Alpha Genome Sequencing Center (GSC) contributed to this work by collecting high-quality references that serve as an important guide for other scientists and breeders using genomics to improve chestnut trees. Understanding these genetic blueprints can guide replanting and conservation efforts so that one day, chestnuts can once again climb the Appalachian peaks and fill forests with flowers and nuts as they did a century ago.
Unlocking clues in the Paint Rock Forest
Another initiative, right here in Alabama, is this. Protecting Alabama’s Wilderness Project. This collaboration between Hudson Alpha and the Paint Rock Forest Research Center is taking a deep dive into the genetics of our native forests.
The Paint Rock site, spanning the Cumberland Plateau into the Paint Rock Valley, provides a living laboratory for studying genetic variation in native forests. The Paint Rock research team has mapped approximately 75,000 tree trunks, the equivalent of about 200 football fields of forest. Using samples from species such as elm, ash, black walnut, and shortleaf pine, Hudson Alpha GSC researchers are analyzing how tree genetics vary across environments.
By linking genetic diversity to traits such as pest resistance or drought tolerance, the data can help predict which trees are best equipped for the future and, conversely, which areas may be at risk. It’s a proactive approach that aims not just to protect trees after damage occurs, but to understand how they adapt before it starts. When scientists understand the genetic diversity within forests, they can better predict how they will respond to change.
Growing Knowledge: The American Campus Tree Genome Project
Trees are not the only subject of study. They are also incredible teachers. gave American Campus Tree Genome (ACTG) ProjectCo-founded by HudsonAlpha Faculty Investigator Alex Harkis, Ph.Dhelps students learn genomics right outside their classrooms, sometimes literally on their own quad.
Through ACTG, universities and community colleges across the country use campus trees as research tools. Students collect leaf samples, extract DNA, and analyze genetic differences between species and even trees of the same species. The goal is twofold: to contribute to a broader understanding of tree genomics and to train the next generation of scientists.
By providing students with hands-on experience with real genomic tools and data, the program exposes the field of genetics and opens doors to scientific careers. And because each DNA sequence contributes to the long-term goal of comparing and understanding tree species across regions, these students are doing more than learning. They are actively advancing conservation science.
It’s a full-circle example of trees giving back: by helping to educate the next generation of scientists, they’re also helping to secure their own survival.
Roots of hope.
When we talk about saving forests, the scale can feel overwhelming. But every dataset, every sample, every student learning to decode DNA adds another piece to the puzzle of forest resilience.
Insights from Hudson Alpha’s tree genomics projects ripple outward—not only restoring endangered species but strengthening local ecosystems, guiding land management policy, and influencing the next generation of scientists.
Trees have long been a symbol of endurance. Now, with the help of genomics, this tolerance has a fighting chance to continue well into the future.
