Tallest trees on Earth

The general idea says forests are ecosystems comprising of trees. But it was Stephen Sillett who discovered the forest in the trees.

Stephen was an explorer since childhood. He grew up in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania with his brother Scott. When they visited their grandparents near Gettysburg their grandmother Helen Poe Sillett took them to the nearby forest and mountains to birdwatch. She taught them to identify various songbirds, plants, lichens and several other creatures.

Both Scott and Stephen developed their interests around these learnings and experiences. Scott became a research scientist specializing in migratory birds whereas Stephen was more interested in trees. By the time he was in college, Stephen’s curiosity pulled him to the tallest trees on earth: the ancient coast redwoods of North California. Redwoods have a lifespan of around 2000 years within which they can grow up to 380 feet tall having 20 feet wide trunks.

In 1987, Stephen along with his brother Scott and friend Marwood went to Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park in Northern California. They went deep inside the forest to find the tallest tree. The lowest branch of their target tree was 100 feet tall thus far beyond their reach. There was another shorter tree growing next to the target tree. Stephen used this tree to reach his target tree and jumped through the gap without any ropes or safety gear. He reached the branches of his target tree and Marwood followed him up. Both of them free climbed to the redwood’s crown. Stephen came across lichens, he noticed the higher he went, the thicker the branches were. He also found moist beds of soil many inches thick, made from needles, bark, fallen dust and other debris on the top of the thick branches. There were huckleberry growing at the pinnacle of the tree. Stephen continued his expeditions with safety gears afterwards and measured the architecture of the branches and tree trunks.

Stephen became an expert in the ecology of the tallest trees on Earth and rich diversity of life in their crowns. He discovered the life that no one had imagined. There are ferns, fungi and trees normally found at ground level at the high branches of these natural skyscrapers. Ants, bumblebees, mites, beetles, earthworms and aquatic crustacean copepods make their homes alongside flowering plants like Rhododendron, Currant and Elderberry bushes. Birds like Ospreys, spotted owls and jays search for food. A Pacific seabird Marbled Murrelet migrates to build its nest there. Squirrels and Voles and the Wandering Salamander also live on the tallest trees.

Stephen Sillett’s research has changed the way we view the tallest of trees. They are not just individual organisms but serve as habitats to several species and as ecosystems in themselves. Thus the research is of importance and enforces the ideas of forest conservation.

TREES

ABOUT TREES:

A tree is a tall plant with a trunk and branches made of wood. Trees can live for many years. Trees have a thick wooden central part from which branches grow. A single tree has many roots. The roots can carry nutrients and water from the ground through the trunk and branches to the leaves of the tree. The roots of trees bind the soil and help it from being washed away by water or wind.

BENEFITS OF TREES:

Trees are vital resources for the survival of all living beings. Trees are an important part of the ecosystem. Trees give off oxygen that we need to breathe. They give us oxygen, store carbon, stabilize the soil, and give life to the world’s wildlife. Trees provide fruits, wood, leaves, flowers, rubber, paper, and many other things to human beings. They also provide us with the materials for tools and shelter. Trees clean the air. Trees prevent soil erosion. Trees also provide food, protection, and homes for many birds and mammals. It also provides timber for construction. They also conserve water. They help in fighting back the climate changes by absorbing greenhouse gases which are the main cause of climate change. It helps to maintain balance and also acts as a valuable source of many resources – such as timber, medicine, shelter, raw materials, and more. Trees provide shade, which is needed during the summer months. Trees and their branches are used as a source of fuel. Trees are used to make furniture and other commercial products. We get many medicines from plants like Cinchona, aconite, coriander, digitalis, horehound, tulsi, neem, and garlic. They help in maintaining the right temperature on Earth. During rainy days, soil erosion is prevented with the help of trees. This process purifies the air and keeps the atmosphere clean. Trees also absorb other harmful gases to keep our environment clean. Trees help in balancing the water level in the atmosphere.

INTERESTING FACTS OF TREES:

Some of the interesting facts about trees are,

A large oak tree can consume about 100 gallons of water per day, and a giant sequoia can drink up to 500 gallons daily.
The rings in a cut tree don’t just reveal its age. They can also show signs of environmental changes, like a volcanic eruption or severe drought.
The tallest tree in the country is a Coast Redwood growing in northern California’s Redwood National Park. It is 369 feet tall and over 2000 years old.
The world’s shortest tree species is the Dwarf Willow. It is rare to find one more than 2 1/2 inches tall. They are also dioecious, producing both males, yellow-colored and female, red-colored catkins. They have been found growing on the frozen tundra in the Arctic.
Wind-blown cottonwood seeds can stay airborne for days before they land. In fact, they can fly longer than any other kind of tree seeds.
There is a tree called Rainbow Eucalyptus, with bark having blue, orange, and maroon colors. When the colors combine in sunlight, they give it a particular ‘Rainbow’ effect. This multi-colored tree grows in New Britain, New Guinea, Ceram, Sulawesi, and Mindanao.

LET THEM LIVE TOO…

We know that for our living oxygen is must if there will be no oxygen on earth then we’ll die in few seconds……then why the oxygen giver is not necessary for us?? Yes I am talking about tress.. not about the artificial oxygen cylinder!!!!!

We all know very well that if there is no oxygen then there will be no life. Then why we cut the trees??….now you will say that when we have cut the trees?? So my answer is..

you have cut the trees when you ask a high quality paper notebook.

You have cut the trees when you ask for the softest tissue paper….

you have cut the trees when you ask for wood furniture…. you know what.. that for good furniture they cut the growing tree…

I am not saying that you should not use the paper notebook…if you are using it then please don’t ask for softest paper because you will use that paper only one time and then that will be no use for you but for that paper don’t know how many trees will have to cut down and you know very well that trees doesn’t grow in all over a night they take time…

I am not saying that you should not use tissue paper use it but please don’t ask for softest…because for the softest they cut the growing trees….

i am not saying that you should not use wooden furniture use it but in a limited quantity….our use of limited quantity will save many trees from cutting.. you know what, the data shows that from 2005 to February 2018, a total of 112,169 trees have been cut — an average of 24 per day….

Trees not only cut for the wood, paper, and so on tress also cut for some projects…..

If in a project trees are making disturbance then the question is that don’t we have talented engineers if they are truly engineers then why they don’t make a synergy between the project and the trees? Why they don’t provide a solution in which trees don’t cut and their work also be get done …

Another aspect:

· Trees give us shelter

· Trees give us food, fruit

· Trees combat climate change

· Trees clean the air

· Trees provide oxygen

· Trees cool the temperature of earth

· Trees help to prevent water pollution, soil erosion

and there are so many things which we get from trees. But what we give back to them in return??Nothing…. we just cut them and kill them….and have you ever thought that what we have done for the earth?…for the trees..? some of us may be done something for trees may be they have plant trees it’s good but what about others?…is not this sad that they provide us our lifeline and in return we end their life!!! We all want development but not on a big cost we want development but by not harming the nature if there will be no nature then where will you do development if you will harm the earth your home then if there will be no home of yours then where will you do the development…. where ?? now you will say if they cut the trees for their project legally then they also plant the new trees…but you know what….what is the reality??…they just plant the trees in paper. Not on the ground level…they just show their papers that they have plant the trees but the reality is far away from this…but they don’t think that if there will be no paper provider in future then what they will show LEGALLY….

we can save our planet by planting more trees….if only one person will plant only one tree then think there are 130 crore person how many tress will grow and please if you are planting the trees then please take care of them in their growing age….because everyone focus on planting the trees no one is interested in taking care of them …..if you will not give them water then they will definitely die and remain you all are wise you all understand that what is valuable for us and what is harmful for us…..so please wake up …..

If we can’t plant a tree then please don’t cut the tree if we can’t do good for others then please don’t do bad for them…if they are providing us lives then please let them live too…let them live too…..