Where I live, Redwoods reign supreme.
The ancient giants eclipse the sun, keeping the forests below in perpetual shade. For more than 200 million years they have loomed over the Santa Cruz Mountains. Many live for more than 2,000 years. So the larger trees began their lives during the height of the Roman Empire.
In the shadows of the redwood forests, we humans scurry like ants. We take pride in our silent giants and do our best to protect what remains of their habitat.
The Undisputed Champion
As everyone knows, Redwood trees (Sequoia sempervirens) are the tallest in the world. They can grow taller than a 30 story skyscraper and wider than the length of two automobiles. To locals, it is a point of pride that “we have the tallest trees in the world.”
A researcher measures the height of the middle tree in the distance
Hikers walk inside a Redwood hollowed by hundreds of years of fire.
A Tall Ash Tree
But that may change soon. A story appeared on the BBC’s website about Mountain Ash trees in Tasmania. Today, the tallest Mountain Ash tree (Eucalyptus regnans) is 98.8 meters. The tallest Redwood measures 115.55 meters. But until recently humans have been cutting Ash trees down in their prime. Tasmania has now established areas where the trees are protected from logging. And some scientists think this will allow the trees to grow to heights that rival the Redwoods.
Live Fast Die Young
Mountain Ash trees grow at a ferocious rate. They must. Each tree is in a race with its neighbor to pierce the jungle canopy. The prize is sunlight that provides the sustenance the tree needs to survive and reproduce.
They are also racing against wildfires that can destroy them before they get a chance to reproduce. Redwood bark contains a natural flame retardant. But the water-laden Mountain Ash literally boils itself in the heat of a wildfire.
As a result, Mountain Ash trees live much shorter lives than Redwoods. They are only thought to survive between 350 and 450 years.
They Are Big
I spent some time hiking around Tasmania. Highlights from my trip include seeing wombats, kangaroos, Tasmanian devils, and an unexpected encounter with a tiger snake.
But I also had the chance to hike through a Mountain Ash forest. So I can personally vouch for the size of these behemoths.
Standing at the base of a Mountain Ash in Tasmania. Does this tree make me look short?
As the BBC’s article states, the trunk is a grayish white. But on the lower parts that are frequently wet the trunk is an emerald green. I experienced the same feelings of timelessness and of my own insignificance that I sometimes get in a redwood forest.
Still the Champ
For now, Redwoods are still the champs. And we will see how tall the Mountain Ash grows now that it is protected from the chainsaw. If the Redwood must surrender its crown, the Mountain Ash is a worthy heir apparent.
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