M.D. Vaden
vadenphotography.com
A photo of this redwood was posted previously in another thread, mostly photographic. Preliminary numbers finally came back, and the volume estimate for the main trunk is 38, 299 cu. ft. If the numbers don't fluctuate, the trunk has potential for a new world record for a single trunk Coast Redwood.
Last summer, we discovered several giant Coast Redwoods, and the preliminary volume measurement for the one shown, done by Ron Hildebrant, was 38,299 cu. ft. excluding basal or reiterated stems. The largest listed for the species has 6,000 cu. ft. in a basal stem off the roots included in its 42,500 cu. ft., so the main trunk is really 36,500 cu. ft. ... the 2nd largest Melkor used to be called "Fusion Giant" and as the name implies appears as two trunks fused, with different looking bark on either side of the line up the middle. Ron is mentioned in Forest Giants of the Pacific Coast, by Robert Van Pelt, etc., so his name may sound familiar. He's been part of the discovery and measuring network of northern California for 20 years or more.
A future research climb could pin-point the volume closer, but for now, this tree has potential to be the largest known single redwood trunk. The lion's share is in the main bole. There are several small stems that have at least 400 cu. ft., but probably no more than 800 cu. ft. all combined. Every extra stem is off the trunk and none from the roots. All are part of the tree structure.
BTW ... this is not the largest we found. Just the largest shown so far.
Chris Atkins did a unique preliminary using the Lasertech Impulse 200 LR laser rangefinder and got within 2,000 cubic feet of Hildebrant's more elaborate method.
I picked up the same laser for my arborist and landscape work up here in Oregon. There's several uses. Its probably overkill for the average arborist. But the accuracy is good enough for drainage and landscape design facets as well as tree measuring.
Hildebrant used the same laser, plus another gadget I was unfamiliar with.
These laser rangefinders could serve several arborist and commercial tree climbing uses, whether it's knowing whether a tree will fall within a certain amount of space, or how high a crotch is and what length of rope is needed to get the job done.
The horizontal distance reading could also pin-point how far out and high up a crane would be reaching.
Last summer, we discovered several giant Coast Redwoods, and the preliminary volume measurement for the one shown, done by Ron Hildebrant, was 38,299 cu. ft. excluding basal or reiterated stems. The largest listed for the species has 6,000 cu. ft. in a basal stem off the roots included in its 42,500 cu. ft., so the main trunk is really 36,500 cu. ft. ... the 2nd largest Melkor used to be called "Fusion Giant" and as the name implies appears as two trunks fused, with different looking bark on either side of the line up the middle. Ron is mentioned in Forest Giants of the Pacific Coast, by Robert Van Pelt, etc., so his name may sound familiar. He's been part of the discovery and measuring network of northern California for 20 years or more.
A future research climb could pin-point the volume closer, but for now, this tree has potential to be the largest known single redwood trunk. The lion's share is in the main bole. There are several small stems that have at least 400 cu. ft., but probably no more than 800 cu. ft. all combined. Every extra stem is off the trunk and none from the roots. All are part of the tree structure.
BTW ... this is not the largest we found. Just the largest shown so far.
Chris Atkins did a unique preliminary using the Lasertech Impulse 200 LR laser rangefinder and got within 2,000 cubic feet of Hildebrant's more elaborate method.
I picked up the same laser for my arborist and landscape work up here in Oregon. There's several uses. Its probably overkill for the average arborist. But the accuracy is good enough for drainage and landscape design facets as well as tree measuring.
Hildebrant used the same laser, plus another gadget I was unfamiliar with.
These laser rangefinders could serve several arborist and commercial tree climbing uses, whether it's knowing whether a tree will fall within a certain amount of space, or how high a crotch is and what length of rope is needed to get the job done.
The horizontal distance reading could also pin-point how far out and high up a crane would be reaching.
