Yosemite National Park in California draws millions of visitors each year to its expanse of rugged peaks, towering waterfalls and lush, ancient forests.
Some of the trees in the park are more than 2000 years old and certain varieties, such as the giant sequoia, grow to an incredible size. However, some scientists are now worried about their future.
Botanists from the University of Washington are concerned that the number of huge trees is dwindling and so have begun camping out in the park to carry out a unique experiment.
They plan to monitor a 25-hectare plot � over many decades � to see how the forest changes. It involves weeks of camping out in the forest, counting, measuring and mapping every single tree in the area.
The scientists will have to share their workspace with some of Yosemite's more established residents, such as this Black Bear cub.
The group also includes professional surveyors and is planned with military precision. Each of the tress getting a unique tag. Group leader Dr James Lutz says the experiment has to live longer than the scientists who set it up.
Solving the mystery of why these giant trees are dying early will be a slow process. But preserving the forest for centuries to come may be impossible without long-term projects like this.
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