Norwegian Wood For The Ages: 'Mummified' Pine Trees Found

Norwegian scientists, who have been studying the trees on Norway's southwestern coastline, have discovered pine trees that began growing in the early to late 1200's and have been dead for almost 800 years that have not begun to decompose. The thing that really makes these trees so interesting that the climate in southwestern Norway is very humid with an average of 60.66 inches of rain per year the scientists were fascinated that decompomosition did not occur more quickly in the dead trees. Terje Thun, an associate professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology's Museum of Natural History and Archaeology, states that when a pine tree dies is secretes resin which prevents organisms needed for decomposition from eating the tree. Resin has been a known mummifier for millenia but the fact that these trees can "self-mummify" is what caught the special attention of scientists.

This article was especially interesting to me because in the lower school I did a report on pertrified forests and how they are preserved forever. The fact that these trees have been dead for nearly 800 years and havn't begun to decompose is almost like they are petrified. We have a pretty humid climate here too, obvisly not as humid as in southwestern Norway, but it made me think that if pine trees over there secrete resin that prevents organisms helping with decomposition from eating the tree and allowing it to stay in tact for so many years maybe that could happen here as well. Especially with our ridiculous amount of pine trees, maybe there is one or a hand full that could do or have done that and we could further research it and maybe use it for preserving things, like artifacts made of wood.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091014210431.htm

Mallory Cox