A few years ago, one of us (Guillaume) moved to the town of Stellenbosch, in South Africa, and found himself walking through town while being shaded from the sun by European oak trees. The region is famous for its wine, and the oaks were imported centuries ago to make wood for casks. But the difference in climate caused the trees to grow too fast, making their wood unsuitable. The oaks were left to disperse and are now a symbol of a town many thousands of miles from where they evolved.
As avid nature enthusiasts, it can be rather surprising to explore the natural landscape in another region of the world, only to find the same species as at home. This will happen especially often if you are from Europe. But why is this the case?
