Ancient olive trees damaged in wildfires given new life, rehabilitated into bonsai trees

Ancient olive trees damaged in last year's wildfires at Ayalon Canada Park are being rehabilitated into bonsai trees by KKL-JNF. The burned stumps were transferred to a nursery, where experts used specialized techniques to encourage root development. Once rooted, the trees will be shaped and displayed at the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens and KKL-JNF's Eshtaol Nursery.

Ancient olive trees severely damaged in last year's wildfires at the Olive Tree Recreation Area in Ayalon Canada Park have survived and are being rehabilitated into bonsai trees, according to an announcement this week by Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF). Despite the extent of the damage, KKL-JNF experts believed some of the trees could survive after discovering that their root collars remained alive. The burned stumps were subsequently transferred to a nursery for rehabilitation. KKL-JNF experts have used specialized bonsai-based techniques to rehabilitate the trees, including carefully selected growing media, controlled moisture and oxygen levels, climate-controlled conditions, and precise pruning. The stumps are being kept in a greenhouse under warm conditions and at 70% humidity to encourage and control root development. To reduce the risk of rot, they were placed in pumice, a growing medium that maintains appropriate moisture levels while allowing oxygen to reach the root zone. Experts also removed most of the leaves to limit water loss and prevent the stumps from drying out before new root systems could develop. Once the rooting process is complete, the stumps will undergo specialized bonsai shaping. The rehabilitated trees will eventually be displayed to the public at the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens in Givat Ram and at KKL-JNF's Eshtaol Nursery. Shai Cohen, a bonsai artist at the Givat Ram Jerusalem Botanical Gardens, collaborated with KKL-JNF's Central Region on the rehabilitation project. "The renewed sprouting of these ancient olive stumps reminds us of the vitality, remarkable regenerative power, and resilience of trees, living beings that outlive us and produce far more offspring than we do," said Dr. Ori Fragman-Sapir, scientific director of the Givat Ram Jerusalem Botanical Gardens.