So the shade trees protecting the coffee plants became overgrown, stifling the plantation and causing a shade-loving fungus to damage half of his plants.

WSJ: Coffee Growers Forge a Futures Recovery

He knows that big companies will probably never want to make GM versions of a minor crop like walnuts, but he bemoans the fact that protecting his trees without pesticides is expensive (he uses pheromones to lure the insects into mating with everything but one another).

FORBES: Green Genes

He's also joining with other town conservancy groups and the League of Women Voters to study legislation aimed at protecting trees and burying power lines.

WSJ: If a Tree Falls, Will the Lights Go Out? Maybe in Connecticut

It also said climbers must play a role in protecting the environment by avoiding wild bird nest sites and not slinging climbing ropes around trees.

BBC: Climbers take part at 'own risk'