Changemaker
Marie E. Antoine
TL;DR
Marie E. Antoine is a Cal Poly Humboldt research associate who studies the living world inside the redwood canopy, and who is testing how to bring it back to forests that were cut.
Marie E. Antoine is a research associate in forestry at Cal Poly Humboldt, working on the biology of the redwood canopy. In her own words, early climbs revealed an ecosystem that was new to scientific description, including giant fern mats, arboreal shrub thickets and wandering salamanders. Her recent work tests whether moving intact fern mats into young redwood canopies can speed up the return of that canopy life to forests that were logged.
Marie E. Antoine is a research associate in forestry at Cal Poly Humboldt who studies the biology of the redwood canopy and how to restore it to forests that were logged.
Why OGSP Recommends It
Marie E. Antoine is based in Arcata, California, and is a research associate in forestry at Cal Poly Humboldt who studies the biology of the redwood canopy and how to restore it to forests that were logged. She describes measuring fern mats the size of cars, with thousands of fronds and soil layers more than a meter deep. Marie has flagged a problem for the future, saying in her own words that Elder Trees were relatively rare to begin with and that there is little provision for such trees in the forests being grown now. She calls the work small, satisfying and hopeful.
Related Resources
Key Takeaways
- She describes measuring fern mats the size of cars, with thousands of fronds and soil layers more than a meter deep.
- Her restoration work moves intact fern mats instead of sprinkling spores. She says that jump-starts fern establishment in a young canopy.
- She has flagged a problem for the future, saying in her own words that Elder Trees were relatively rare to begin with and that there is little provision for such trees in the forests being grown now.
- She calls the work small, satisfying and hopeful.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Marie Antoine research?
The biology of the redwood canopy, including the fern mats, shrubs and animals that live hundreds of feet above the forest floor, and how to restore that life to previously logged forests.
Where does Marie Antoine work?
Cal Poly Humboldt, in the Department of Forestry, Fire and Rangeland Management, as a research associate.
What are canopy fern mats?
They are thick mats of ferns growing in the branches of large redwoods. Marie has measured mats the size of cars, carrying thousands of fronds and more than a meter of soil.
Is Marie Antoine in Giants Rising?
Yes. The film’s own site lists her with Stephen C. Sillett and describes both as forest ecologists and botanists who climb and study the world’s largest trees.