More than 150 years ago Victorian biologist Charles Darwin made a powerful observation: that a mixture of species planted together often grow more strongly than species planted individually. It has taken a century and a half — ironically about as long as it can take to grow an oak to harvest — and a climate crisis to make policymakers and land owners take Darwin’s idea seriously and apply it to trees.

...Following Darwin’s thinking, there is growing awareness that the best, healthiest forests are ones with the greatest variety of trees - and trees of various ages. Forests following this model promise to grow two to fourfold more strongly, maximising carbon capture while also maximising resilience to disease outbreaks, rapid climate change and extreme weather.

https://theconversation.com/a-150-year- ... ted-170909