Redwood May Be Tallest Living Thing

[046]

Redwood May Be Tallest Living Thing

" REDWOOD NATIONAL PARK, Calif. (AP) -- A redwood in a remote Northern California coastal forest has been tentatively measured as the world's tallest living thing.

The tree called Hyperion stands at 378.1 feet, eight feet taller than the previous record holder, another coast redwood dubbed Stratosphere Giant in a state park about 90 miles south.

Two amateur California naturalists found the tree earlier this summer during a bushwhacking expedition in search of tall trees. Chris Atkins, credited with discovering the Stratosphere Giant in 2000, and Michael Taylor returned later with scientists to obtain more exact measurements of the tree's height using a tripod-mounted laser.

The team also identified two other redwoods in the same forest taller than the reigning record holder: a tree called Helios at 376.3 feet and another called Icarus at 371.2 feet."

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/T/TALLEST_TREE?SITE=LYCOS&SECTION=home&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

 

[moss]

Great news and an impressive accomplishment by the team that discovered the tree. It goes to show that there is much to be discovered and learned in our own backyard.

The San Fransico Chronicle article linked at the bottom is worth reading for the additional detail:
Hyperion

Also relevant to note that Hyperion was protected within the last 30 years by an expansion of Redwood National Forest under the Carter administration.

These quotes from biologist George Koch cut to the chase:

"With so much of the old-growth redwoods gone -- more than 90 percent -- you wouldn't necessarily expect a discovery like this," he said.

"They aren't all that far from an old clear-cut," he said. "Basically, they were almost nuked. The fact that they weren't is amazing."

 

[TreeBarber]

We use to live just south of the Redwood National Park, Trinidad and Mckinleyville. The Redwoods are truly impressive trees.