Why Oregon is home to more Hiroshima 'survivor trees' than anywhere outside Japan

By Mike Green,

Published July 22, 2026 at 4:50 PM PDT

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Movie still: Hideko Tamura Snider is a survivor of the U.S. atomic bombing of the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Her story of planting seeds across Oregon from trees that survived the bombing is told in the documentary film "The Seeds of Peace." — Hideko Tamura Snider is a survivor of the U.S. atomic bombing of the Japanese city of Hiroshima, as seen in the documentary "The Seeds of Peace."

A new documentary tells the story of how a chance encounter at Southern Oregon University helped launch a statewide effort to grow trees descended from those that survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.

"The Seeds of Peace" follows the decades-long partnership between Hiroshima survivor Hideko Tamura Snider and arborist Mike Oxendine. Together, they helped propagate seeds from trees that survived the 1945 bombing, creating what organizers say is the largest collection of Hiroshima "survivor trees" outside Japan, with plantings in more than 55 Oregon communities.

The feature-length film was directed by historian David-Paul Hedberg, whose work often explores the relationship between history and the natural world.

"I've always been really fascinated with taking history out of the history books and grounding it back on the earth," Hedberg said.

For Oxendine, the project began with an unexpected visitor.

More than 20 years ago, Snider knocked on the door of the groundskeeper's office at Southern Oregon University seeking someone who could help germinate seeds collected from trees that survived the Hiroshima bombing. After others turned her away, she asked Oxendine for help.

"Standing there is a 80-plus-year-old Japanese lady, and she's in tears," Oxendine said. "She says, 'You're my last hope, and I've gone everywhere and I've asked people to help me acquire these seeds and propagate these seeds from the Hiroshima bomb survivor trees. And would you help me?'" Oxendine said.

Hideko Tamura Snider was a child in Hiroshima when the U.S. dropped an atomic bomb that killed her parents. Her photo is displayed in a scene from the documentary film "The Seeds of Peace."

Oxendine agreed. The effort focused primarily on ginkgo trees, a species known for its resilience. Today, he said, Oregon has more Hiroshima Survivor Trees than anywhere outside Japan.

The documentary also highlights Snider's experience surviving the atomic bombing as a young child. Hedberg said those firsthand accounts are essential to understanding the legacy of nuclear weapons.

"While we can have one explanation of why the bomb was important, you must also platform and prioritize the experiences of the people underneath that bomb," Hedberg said.

The project continues to grow, with a second generation of trees currently being nurtured for future planting.

The work continues today, with a second generation of Survivor Trees being cultivated for future plantings.

Learn more about this living legacy at a screening of The Seeds of Peace on August 3rd at 6:30 p.m. in the SOU Music Recital Hall. For more information: peacehouse.net

Hideko Tamura Snider is shown in a scene from the documentary film "The Seeds of Peace." The story follows her effort to plant seeds in Oregon from Japanese trees that survived the U.S. bombing of Hiroshima. Hideko was a child survivor of the tragedy and now plants seeds from gingko biloba trees across Oregon in partnership with Michael Oxendine, an Oregon arborist and forester.

Event

A screening of "The Seeds of Peace" will be held Aug. 3 at 6:30 p.m. in the SOU Music Recital Hall.

Guests

David-Paul Hedberg, filmmaker, "The Seeds of Peace"
Michael Oxendine, arborist, urban forester