On top of the tallest tree in Britain 4

Digicam footage I took from the top while measuring the Lake Vyrnwy Douglas Fir on May 10th 2009. To my surprise it turned out to be 63.79m (209.3ft), exactly the same height as the tallest tree in Scotland, the Stronardron Douglas Fir!

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• tallest tree in Britain
• Michael Spraggon
• Lake Vyrnwy
• tree climbing

[MichaelJSpraggon]

@treecarving

So you're the one who's going to turn the Vrynwy Giant into a totem pole!

How long do you think it will take? I'm not going to be able to get up there for a while but it would be good to see.

Regarding the 'Son' of the Giant: I think it may take 15 years or more before that reaches 64m, which puts the achievement of this tree into perspective.

Anyway, keep in touch and maybe post a video and who knows maybe I'll make it over there before you finish.

Michael

[MichaelJSpraggon]

@rephaim23

Sorry for the delayed reply. This is good news about the 140m fir. Is that the one felled near Bordeaux N Califirnia in 1930? To draw nutrients to that height requires overcoming a pressure of over 200 psi!!! How is that even possible?

[rephaim23]

Fascinating. What are the statistical chances those trees of the same species would measure within a foot of each other?

I live in Portland, Oregon. Douglas firs 30 - 50 meters tall are as common as weeds, and we still have a few big trees left in the Balch creek canyon, growing at the well protected bottom near the stream, some are probably 75 meters tall and 1.5 to 2 meters thick.

[MichaelJSpraggon]

@rephaim23 Yes I remember reading about a Douglas felled in Linn Valley BC in the 1890s that was 127m (417ft) tall!

Do you climb trees?

[rephaim23]

@MichaelJSpraggon

I haven't climbed anything significant, I just like to crane my neck up in wonder. It takes skill to do that stuff. Funny you would mention Lynn Valley, I just made a vid on that tree.

[MichaelJSpraggon]

@rephaim23 If you do want to learn to climb safely visit Tim Kovar at Treeclimbing Northwest in Oregon. He may or may not know me from the Treeclimber's International forum. I'll see if I can find your video on the Linn Valley tree...

[rephaim23]

Looks like that link didn't work. you can find the story if you search: "Restless Native | Giant logged long ago but not forgotten."

But pressure over 200 psi, I'm not sure how to answer that question. Apparently a 2008 study on Douglas fir height estimated that the risk for runaway embolism increased if the tree exceeded 107 m, but projected the max could be as much as 131 - 145 m.

The study tittled: "Maximum height in a conifer is associated with conflicting requirements for xylem design"

[rephaim23]

@MichaelJSpraggon

Hey,

this was a 142 m fir reported cut down in Whatcom county Washington State in 1897. The Whatcom museum has one or more photograph of the cross sections of this tree when it was displayed on the street corner of New Whatcom (now Bellingham) with a placard attached to it listing the height, age and board volume of the tree. The news story which features my research includes this photo:

seattletimes. nwsource . com/html/restlessnative/201611­2972_restless05m . html

[treecarving]

The one next to it will be at the same height in a few yrs I reckon, be good to replace it. sad news on the storm damage.

[rephaim23]

Howdy, the Seattle Times ran a story on that 140 meter fir. I helped the columnist with the research. Looks like it may have been the real McCoy.

[rephaim23]

@MichaelJSpraggon

A centimeter? That should be a Guinness record right there!

So I guess it looks unlikely these trees will grow to 120 meters like some of the rare legendary firs of the pre 1900's west coast. 65 m is still a gawdayom big tree though.