Re: Coast Redwood - Sequoia sempervirens - or Sequoiadendron giganteum the Giant Redwood ..... Kauri trees , was: Logging trees

I'm not trying to outdo anyone but I think the biggest known trees are the "Big Trees" in Sequoia, Calaveras and Yosemite Parks. They cut an automobile tunnel through one of them. I understand it fell down about 40 years ago, probably because of the abuse the tunnel attracted. See: http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=1145 where they report the diameter of one of trees as 28 feet. six feet above the ground. That gives a circumference of 88 feet! There may some as big as 35 feet in diameter. See: http://www.yosemite.national-park.com/info.htm#tre
They reach about 300 feet in height. It is said that they tried to log them in the early days but they are so big and heavy that when they were cut, they fell with such force that the trunk was shattered and unusable for lumber. Fortunately this helped save them!
I have visited them and I don't think anyone can visit without extreme awe. They are simply unbelievably big. If you really want to feel infinitesimal, visit the Big Trees in Yosemite Park. ---Chas---
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On Dec 01, 2004, at 9:18 PM, Jason D wrote:

The Sequoia sempervirens forest at Big Basin, on the
coastal slope of the San Francisco Peninsula, near the
Santa Clara (Silicon) Valley and Santa Cruz, contains
a few specimens of tremendous -- although not
Kauri-rivalling -- girth. Redwoods all seem quite tall
unless exposed to sea winds, even second-growth trees,
but these old-growthers are both thrillingly fat and,
I believe one, the Mother of the Forest, is 329 feet
tall. That's about 100 meters! Magnificent.
-Jason Dewees
San Francisco, California


One particular thing I noticed about visiting this
huge tree was the
effect its height had on me. I really felt quite
overwhelmed, especially
when viewing it close to, and had the feeling I
wanted to lie down on
the ground to take it in properly. I guess this
might be even more
marked with a large Redwood.

Moira
--
Tony & Moira Ryan,
Wainuiomata, North Island, NZ.     Pictures of our
garden at:-

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/cherie1/Garden/TonyandMoira/index.htm
NEW PICTURES ADDED 4/Feb/2004





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