Unfold
Unfold
UC Davis
Climbing to Extremes
13 minutes Posted Nov 10, 2025 at 5:00 pm.
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Show notes
One way to understand climate change is by climbing to extremes. In this episode of Unfold, co-host Kat Kerlin trekked up some of the highest peaks in the Sierra Nevada range with UC Davis forest ecologists with the goal of finding the highest altitude Jeffrey pine trees. Their presence can reveal a lot about our warming planet. We’ll hear about her trip – and how a little bird “gardener” can play a large role in reshaping California’s forests.
In this episode:
Hugh Safford, UC Davis forest ecologist
Sachi Srivastava, UC Davis graduate student
Mike Mahoney, UC Davis doctoral student
Nick Parker, UC Davis undergraduate 
 
Read “An Extreme Tree Hunt in the Sierra Nevada Mountains” to learn more about the research.