A Forest That’s One Tree: How climate change threatens Earth’s heaviest organism

Produced by: Manoj Kumar

One Tree Forest

It looks like a forest. But Pando is one ancient organism—47,000 stems, one vast root system, and 6,000 tons of biomass. A 14,000-year-old lifeform hiding in plain sight.

Clones in Crisis

Each stem in Pando is a genetic twin. But uniformity isn’t safety—in fact, it’s a vulnerability. When disease or heat strikes one, it can ripple through all.

Elk at War

Without predators like wolves or cougars, deer and elk now roam unchecked—gnawing down Pando’s baby shoots like candy. No new growth, no future.

Fences and Hope

Inside fenced zones, Pando thrives. New shoots rocket skyward in what scientists call the “bamboo garden.” It’s a glimpse of what could be—if protection became policy.

Dying by Inches

Pando isn’t collapsing in a single event. It’s dying in slow motion—disease, drought, and grazers eating away at its core, one weakened stem at a time.

Climate Clock

Earlier springs, hotter summers, and less water are scrambling Pando’s ancient rhythms. It survived the Ice Age—but might not survive this one.

Moisture Magnet

More than a tree, Pando is a water keeper. It creates microclimates, stabilizes soil, and shelters moisture in a parched land. Lose it, and Utah dries faster.

Root of It All

When Pando’s stems die, its root system starves. The organism’s core—the underground brain—relies on young shoots to keep it alive. No shoots, no signal, no survival.

The Mass Extinction Nobody Sees

Pando’s decline mirrors our planet’s—slow, preventable, and largely invisible. It's not just a tree; it’s a warning.