Correspondence Many ways to access tree-ring collections further back hominin fossil finds in time are impediments. Also, most existing tree-ring collections Michael Cherry’s perspective of are not representative of trees that elitist tourism at South Africa’s lived in the past (F. Babst et al. DARREN ALEXANDER DARREN Cradle of Humankind World Oecologia 176, 307–322; 2014). Heritage Site in Gauteng does not We suggest that combining take into account extensive efforts retrospective tree-ring analysis, by scientists, the government repeated forest inventory and the private sector to bring a measurements and modelling wider understanding of human studies could more effectively evolution and our shared heritage predict responses of the world’s to the South African public forests to climate change. (Nature 523, 33; 2015). Pieter A. Zuidema Wageningen Excavations of hominin fossils University, the Netherlands. at the Malapa caves, viewed from David Frank Swiss Federal an overhead structure (pictured), Research Institute WSL, may need wealthy tourists to resist science-education efforts. Science education is a public Birmensdorf, Switzerland. support access to the site, but BioLogos (http://biologos. good that we as scientists should [email protected] plans include free school tours org) was founded in 2007 by help to reinforce across all faiths on at least one day each month. Francis Collins, then leader of with partnerships such as these. The Rising Star cave will be open the Human Genome Project, to S. Joshua Swamidass Universities aim for as a nature and heritage reserve encourage other Christians to Washington University in a sustainable future for an entry fee of just a few rands accept evolution in the context St. Louis, Missouri, USA. (12 rands is US$1). A virtual lab at of their faith. Trust and respect [email protected] A survey of several European the Maropeng visitor centre will for Collins has been key to its universities shows that corporate also allow people to watch Malapa success. Its grant programme responsibility for the economic, fossils being prepared online. has so far disbursed a total of Tree rings track social and environmental effects Last year, 38,000 schoolchildren US$3.9 million to 37 faith– climate trade-offs of commercial activities is slowly visited our education facilities science partnerships. spreading to the non-profit at the active palaeontological In fostering dialogue between The information held in annual sector in Europe — including to site of Sterkfontein. The theologians and scientists who tree rings offers further insight institutions of higher education. outreach programmes at the are Christians, BioLogos is into the potential of the world’s The survey, undertaken in University of the Witwatersrand’s forging a middle ground between forests to slow global warming 2014, polled 73 members of the Evolutionary Studies Institute, presentations of science that are (see Nature 523, 20–22; 2015). European University Association, together with privately funded antagonistic towards faith and These data reveal fluctuations in representing 18 countries across a activities, reach about 200,000 faith that will not accommodate growth rate caused by climatic, range of institutional age, size and more schoolchildren, most from science. Last month, for physiological and ecological ranking (see Y. Fassin in Proc. disadvantaged backgrounds. example, a BioLogos conference factors, and provide long-term 26th Int. Assoc. Bus. Soc.; in the Public exhibitions of our of scientists, theologians and and spatially extensive records. press). Of those 73 universities fossil hominin treasures are held pastors helped to articulate Tree-ring measurements (response rate 11%), 82% had frequently at museums around the overlap between theology provide information on incorporated sustainability and South Africa, with up to 15 on and evolutionary theory (see functional trade-offs that can the European Commission’s display at any one time. The go.nature.com/ovnpwb). affect a tree’s future, such as corporate social responsibility government and the University A programme by the altered hydraulic and growth recommendations into their of the Witwatersrand have also American Association for responses to the long-term rise development strategies; 70% gifted casts of Australopithecus the Advancement of Science in atmospheric carbon dioxide were already reporting on their sediba fossils to museums across takes a different approach, in (see P. van der Sleen et al. Nature initiatives. Africa and around the world. partnership with the Association Geosci. 8, 24–28; 2015). And The survey revealed that these Lee R. Berger University of the of Theological Schools (www. unlike data from remote sensing universities tend to emphasize Witwatersrand, South Africa. scienceforseminaries.org). Their of forests and monitoring of tree sustainable development over [email protected] pilot project has helped ten diameters, tree-ring observations social responsibility. Perhaps seminaries since 2013 to integrate extend over centuries. because social responsibility science into the curriculum for Such studies also mitigate is a given for universities, Initiatives to bridge training religious leaders. One the problems you mention of sustainability for future faith and science seminary includes evolutionary investigating small forest patches, generations of students seems to biology in courses on biblical because the size and number of hold more sway with university Two initiatives aim to increase interpretation; others teach research areas can be adjusted. management. awareness and acceptance neuroscience, genetics or ecology A relatively small percentage of Yves Fassin Ghent University, of science by US Christian within explorations of identity ring-forming species in tropical Belgium. communities, some of which and environmental stewardship. forests and the fading record of [email protected] 30 JULY 2015 | VOL 523 | NATURE | 531 © 2015 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.
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