On October 26, reporters from China News Service learned from the Changbai Mountain Forest Industry Group and Longlin Forestry Co., Ltd. that researchers recently discovered a natural community of northeastern yew trees (Taxus cuspidata) in the original forests of Changbai Mountain. Notably, this community includes ancient trees that are over a thousand years old.

On October 25, located in Hegang, Jilin Province, researchers found these ancient northeastern yew trees, some of which boast impressive ages exceeding a millennium. The northeastern yew is a rare and endangered species, the only member of its genus found in northeastern China, and it has existed for approximately 2.5 million years. The species was designated as a national first-class protected plant in China back in 1992.

This ancient tree cluster is situated within the borders of Hegang City, in Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, at altitudes ranging from 700 to 1,200 meters. Spanning hundreds of hectares, the area is home to northeastern yew specimens of all ages, including old, middle-aged, young, and saplings. The majority of the trees are middle-aged, with diameters between 10 and 40 centimeters, numbering in the thousands.

Remarkably, among this ancient community, there are six trees with diameters exceeding one meter and ages surpassing a thousand years. Furthermore, the prevalence of younger trees and new seedlings indicates that this ancient community is still in a growth phase, demonstrating a capacity for self-renewal and sustainable development.

Officials highlighted that this discovery is significant for understanding the status of genetic resources of northeastern yew, the mechanisms behind its endangered status, and for formulating effective conservation strategies.