In 1997, Simon Fraser University used 10,000-year-old pollen to reconstruct British Columbia's warmer past. 29 years later, his evidence still warns forests could lose alpine meadows as trees climb 100 metres higher

Nearly 10,000 years ago, British Columbia experienced a warmer period that changed the province's forests and treelines. Evidence preserved in lake bottoms, wetlands and even an unexpected mountain stream log now offers clues about what a warmer future could look like, as per Simon Fraser University.

Simon Fraser University biology professor Dr. Rolf Mathewes studied ancient pollen, seeds, cones and charcoal to reconstruct those changes. His findings suggest that warming could push trees higher into alpine and sub-alpine areas, while making forests more vulnerable to drought and fire.