Tuesday, November 12, 2024

World's Largest Western Red Cedar Tree

 It's called the World Champion Western Red Cedar!


Ready? It's 19.4 feet in diameter, 178 feet tall, and estimated to be 1000 years old!


This Grand Daddy Western Red Cedar is in Washington State. Jefferson County is Section 36, Township 26 North, Range 13 West, W.M. It's located on State School Trust land managed by the Department of Natural Resources. The DNR manages over two million acres of forest land for the trust's benefit. 


These forest stands are harvested, literally like a crop. Older tree stands are replaced by new plantings that are weeded and thinned - These new areas are nurtured no differently than a garden until they can be harvested. The younger trees are typically thinned out around 18 to 20 years of age to be allowed to grow to maturity (well, not like this big fella of 1000 years. Actually, around 75 years, they are harvested again. This entire cycle of managed care and feeding is repeated indefinitely. It is the classic sustained management of a renewable resource. 

This giant cedar is on a very primitive site. There are no facilities available. It is about 4 miles off of Highway 101 at mile marker 170. The road is a single-lane, but there are turnouts. Such a turnout is 200 feet past Big Cedar Spur and the junction of N-1112.

Grab a backpack! Visit the Tree of Life! Give it a Hug!

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