We have a fair bit as a species to learn from the trees, and the significant trees that occupy such a big part of my thoughts impact on my attitudes to all aspects of tree work.
There are some plants that live a long time some a very long time, and some well...........................
Earth's oldest living inhabitant "Methuselah" at 4,767 years, has lived more than a millennium longer than any other tree.
I could write much about how much we have gained just from the small amount of research that has been done on these most extraordinary trees..not least re-writing the geological time book!!
But go here
NOVA Online | Methuselah Tree visit each section and absorb the magnitude of what these diminuative trees represent..they have outlasted all the civilisations that existed when they were saplings and chances are they'll out live ours too.
Also here
Ancient Bristlecone Pine
Go here to read an excellent review of some of the emotion and heat connected to the events surrounding the discovery and damage to the oldest known tree on earth
Oldest Living Tree Tells All, by Michael P. Cohen : Essays : Terrain.org