On his global and never-ending quest to discover and photograph giant trees, Nathan has found several more to add to the list right in his own backyard. Please enjoy these wonders of nature!
Nathan found this giant old-growth Douglas fir tree while hiking with Jared in Silver Falls State Park here in western Oregon. This mammoth is about seven feet in diameter at breast height, but is small compared to some of the monsters firs that were logged that were logged from this state a century ago. This tree’s ancestors were twice this size!A cathedral of old growth Douglas fir trees. Nathan, the Treevangelist, could easily preach the good news of the importance of trees (and the Tree of Life, as well) from this “church pulpit.” The wind whistling around the these lofty spires would match the mellifluous serenity of any Gothic cathedral’s pipe organ. While we’re at Silver Falls State Park, we can’t leave the area without a picture of trees against the backdrop of one of the area’s many waterfalls. We’re coming into Willamette Mission State Park near Kaiser, Oregon. Notice the tree in the middle against the skyline? Doesn’t look like much from here, but it’s the largest tree of its species in North America! This humungous black cottonwood is 155 feet tall. It is more than eight feet in diameter at breast height and is some 235 years old.Though not a world record holder by any means, this coastal redwood tree is the largest that I have found in my home town of Wilsonville, Oregon. It is about 100 years old.
The exact meaning of the term “old growth” is very debatable. There are different criteria that different people use to determine what is or is not old growth. Generally, according to my research, it is a tree that either pre-dates modern man’s incursions into the forest or that is of a certain age—usually a 150 to 200 years old or more.
For example, here is the generally accepted definition of old growth: “An old-growth forest[a] (also referred to as primary forest) is a forest that has developed over a long period of time without disturbance. Due to this, old-growth forests exhibit unique ecological features.[1] The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations defines primary forests as naturally regenerated forests of native tree species where there are no clearly visible indications of human activity and the ecological processes are not significantly disturbed” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old-growth_forest). Here is another reference that defines old growth: “The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations defines old-growth forests, which it calls primary forests, as “naturally regenerated forest[s] of native tree species, where there are no clearly visible indications of human activities and the ecological processes are not significantly disturbed” (https://www.britannica.com/science/old-growth-forest). Some ecologists define old growth as a tree that is older than 150 years (https://njaudubon.org/what-does-old-growth-really-mean-it-depends-installment-1-of-6/). Also see https://home.nps.gov/articles/000/what-do-we-mean-by-old-growth.htm; https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/old-growth-forests.
As you can see, the general consensus among experts is that an 80 year old tree probably does not fit the definition of an old growth tree, unless it’s in an old growth forest that has had little or no human influence. This clearly is not the case with Oregon’s Silver Falls State Park which had its beginnings in 1935.
There is another distinction that needs to be made in this discussion. An old growth forest is one thing, while an old growth tree is another thing. We’ve already defined an old growth forest. Beyond this, an old growth tree can exist in a non-old growth forest. This certainly would be the case with the trees I highlight in this video.
It would surprise you to know that Silver Falls has giant trees which are 80 years or less in age. Size does not equal “old growth”.
The exact meaning of the term “old growth” is very debatable. There are different criteria that different people use to determine what is or is not old growth. Generally, according to my research, it is a tree that either pre-dates modern man’s incursions into the forest or that is of a certain age—usually a 150 to 200 years old or more.
For example, here is the generally accepted definition of old growth: “An old-growth forest[a] (also referred to as primary forest) is a forest that has developed over a long period of time without disturbance. Due to this, old-growth forests exhibit unique ecological features.[1] The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations defines primary forests as naturally regenerated forests of native tree species where there are no clearly visible indications of human activity and the ecological processes are not significantly disturbed” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old-growth_forest). Here is another reference that defines old growth: “The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations defines old-growth forests, which it calls primary forests, as “naturally regenerated forest[s] of native tree species, where there are no clearly visible indications of human activities and the ecological processes are not significantly disturbed” (https://www.britannica.com/science/old-growth-forest). Some ecologists define old growth as a tree that is older than 150 years (https://njaudubon.org/what-does-old-growth-really-mean-it-depends-installment-1-of-6/). Also see https://home.nps.gov/articles/000/what-do-we-mean-by-old-growth.htm; https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/old-growth-forests.
As you can see, the general consensus among experts is that an 80 year old tree probably does not fit the definition of an old growth tree, unless it’s in an old growth forest that has had little or no human influence. This clearly is not the case with Oregon’s Silver Falls State Park which had its beginnings in 1935.
There is another distinction that needs to be made in this discussion. An old growth forest is one thing, while an old growth tree is another thing. We’ve already defined an old growth forest. Beyond this, an old growth tree can exist in a non-old growth forest. This certainly would be the case with the trees I highlight in this video.
Now you know the facts.
Cheers!