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World's Tallest Tropical Tree Found in Malaysia

World's Tallest Tropical Tree Found in Malaysia
Sabah forest © Mongabay

The world's tallest topical tree was discovered on the island of Borneo last year.  At nearly 309ft, it's as tall as three blue whales stacked end to end.

The discovery was announced five months after what was previously considered the world's tallest tropical tree - a 294ft yellow meranti - was found in Malaysia.

Gregory Asner of the Carnegie Institution for Science at Stanford University revealed the new record breaking tree at a Heart of Borneo conference on November 10, 2016.

The tree - which belongs to the Shorea genus - stands in the state of Sabah. And, not only is it impressive vertically but its canopy also reaches a diameter of 132ft. 

The world's tallest topical tree has been discovered on the island of Borneo - and at nearly 309ft it's as tall as three blue whales stacked end to end
The world's tallest topical tree has been discovered on the island of Borneo - and at nearly 309ft it's as tall as three blue whales stacked end to end

 

The record-breaker was spotted when Asner was mapping the Sabah forest using lidar technology on board a plane. 

The Carnegie Airborne Observatory can image forests and map animal habitat, carbon stocks, and canopy biodiversity by using sensors to precisely measure height, architecture, chemical properties and species of tree.

Carnegie Airborne Observatory - Carnegie Institution for Science
Carnegie Airborne Observatory - Carnegie Institution for Science

 

Asner then went via helicopter - funded by film director James Cameron and the UN Development Programme - to examine the tree with his own eyes.

To his amazement, not only was this particular tree of striking height but it was flanked by other just slightly smaller trees. All these 50 trees exceed the 294ft mark obtained by the yellow meranti in June.

'Conservation needs inspiration, and these sentinels of the Bornean jungle provide that to us. This discovery is a gift to science, to the people of Sabah and Borneo, and to the world,' Asner said
'Conservation needs inspiration, and these sentinels of the Bornean jungle provide that to us. This discovery is a gift to science, to the people of Sabah and Borneo, and to the world,' Asner said

 

'This tallest tropical tree, and the 49 runners-up, are truly phenomenal expressions of the power of nature,' Asner told environmental news website, Mongabay. 

'Conservation needs inspiration, and these sentinels of the Bornean jungle provide that to us. This discovery is a gift to science, to the people of Sabah and Borneo, and to the world.'

Dr. Glen Reynolds, the director of the Southeast Asia Rainforest Research Partnership told the site: 'Trees of this size and age simply don't exist outside of primary forest - so it's crucial that the forests which support these now-rare giants is protected,' he said.

Tallest Tropical Tree | Mysabah.com
Tallest Tropical Tree | Mysabah.com

 

The height of 309ft was compared by Asner to being six times the size of a sperm whale - which, at an average of 52ft, is the largest toothed whale. 

Asner now intends to visit all of the trees to carry out his own studies and learn more about the species. 

However, despite the trees' impressive height, they remain smaller than the tallest non-tropical tree on Earth - a coast redwood in California's Redwood National Park which reaches heights of 377ft. 

 

Source : Dailymail.co.uk

Akhyari Hananto

I began my career in the banking industry in 1997, and stayed approx 6 years in it. This industry boost his knowledge about the economic condition in Indonesia, both macro and micro, and how to More understand it. My banking career continued in Yogyakarta when I joined in a program funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB),as the coordinator for a program aimed to help improve the quality of learning and teaching process in private universities in Yogyakarta. When the earthquake stroke Yogyakarta, I chose to join an international NGO working in the area of ?disaster response and management, which allows me to help rebuild the city, as well as other disaster-stricken area in Indonesia. I went on to become the coordinator for emergency response in the Asia Pacific region. Then I was assigned for 1 year in Cambodia, as a country coordinator mostly to deliver developmental programs (water and sanitation, education, livelihood). In 2009, he continued his career as a protocol and HR officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Surabaya, and two years later I joined the Political and Economic Section until now, where i have to deal with extensive range of people and government officials, as well as private and government institution troughout eastern Indonesia. I am the founder and Editor-in-Chief in Good News From Indonesia (GNFI), a growing and influential social media movement, and was selected as one of The Most Influential Netizen 2011 by The Marketeers magazine. I also wrote a book on "Fundamentals of Disaster Management in 2007"?, "Good News From Indonesia : Beragam Prestasi Anak Bangsa di dunia"? which was luanched in August 2013, and "Indonesia Bersyukur"? which is launched in Sept 2013. In 2014, 3 books were released in which i was one of the writer; "Indonesia Pelangi Dunia"?, "Indonesia The Untold Stories"? and "Growing! Meretas Jalan Kejayaan" I give lectures to students in lectures nationwide, sharing on full range of issues, from economy, to diplomacy Less
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