Abstract

Joint seminar with the World History Seminar; start time 4pm

In 1994, David Noble, a Field Officer for the Wollemi National Park, in New South Wales, came across a tree he did not recognize in a narrow canyon. Quickly dubbed the Wollemi pine, the tree proved to be an unknown species whose evolution stretched back to the lost worlds of the dinosaurs, before the formation of modern continents, and even flowering plants. Promoted as the Pinosaur and the botanical find of the century, the tree’s ensuing journey from wild endangerment to domesticated treasure is a rare tale of an endangered plant celebrity attracting global conservation efforts. This talk traces the story of the Wollemi pine from its origins and chance find, to the present day, to consider why it is so important for us to include plants within histories of extinction, especially when they are routinely neglected as species needing conservation or subjects worthy of historical narratives. In particular, the talk will explore how paying attention to plants challenges historians to radically rethink common divisions of time, place, and whose lives are historically interesting or significant, and helps us move beyond both anthropocentric and animal-centric policy-making and history writing.