“This is Not a Forest”

PBS/Atlas Obscura’s Untold Earth (Season 2, Episode 1)

Meet Pando, the largest known tree in the world!

It might look like 47,000 individual aspen trees, but they're actually all genetically identical stems sprouting from a single root system underground.

Latin for “I spread,” the Pando aspen clone covers 106 acres in Utah's Fishlake National Forest.

Find out how human intervention has both disrupted Pando's growth and potentially found a healthy way forward for this forest of one tree.

PBS / Atlas Obscura’s "Untold Earth" Season 2, Episode 1

Featuring: Kirk Henrichsen, Mary O'Brien, Kurtis Robins, Dr. Paul C. Rogers

Directed, Produced, and Written by Jeannie Donohoe & Michael Fequiere

Filmed by Michael Fequiere & Jonathan O'Beirne

Drone Operator: Jonathan O'Beirne

Post Production Supervisor: Jeannie Donohoe

Edited by Michael Fequiere

Animation by Reel Black Studios

Additional Visuals: Kirk Henrichsen, Dr. Paul C. Rogers, Josh O'Brien, Western Watersheds Project, PLOS, NAIP, Pond5

Special thanks: Utah State University, Fish Lake Lodge, United States Forest Service, Angela Hawkins, Henrichsen Family, Josh O'Brien, Grand Canyon Trust

For Atlas Obscura: Doug Baldinger, Ansh Vohra, Chris Naka, Audrey Long, Ilie Mitaru

For Nature: Danielle Broza, Amanada Schmidt, Fred Kaufman, Chelsey Saatkamp, Karen Ho

For PBS: Maribel Lopez, Gabrielle Ewing, Mike Martin