By Mark Hillsdon The liana is an opportunistic plant, a vine that, in the right conditions, can smother a tree as it hitches a ride up to the top of the forest canopy. It’s estimated that 250 million hectares of managed forest are affected by rampant liana growth, as the plant thrives where the forest floor has been disturbed by clearing activities like logging, as well as natural events such as wildfires and hurricanes. “Liana” is a catch-all name for long, woody vining plants, many species of which are native to tropical forests around the world. While the negative effects of lianas on tree …