Journey to Find Taiwan's Tallest Tree Published in International Journal; Tree Seekers Also Discover 'Giant Tree Temple'

A groundbreaking expedition has identified Taiwan's tallest tree, an impressive Formosan cypress measuring 84.1 meters, and uncovered a rare "giant tree temple" forest, according to findings published in the international journal Forests and Global Change.

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Taiwan is located on the Tropic of Cancer, has high biodiversity, and its island terrain where mountains and sea converge forms a "fog forest," which is suitable for the growth of giant trees.

The "Seekers of Trees" team, dedicated to finding Taiwan's giant trees since 2014, utilized advanced Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology combined with expert analysis and citizen science. Their efforts culminated in locating the Formosan cypress, now named "Da'an Creek Yitianjian," which stands as the tallest known tree in East Asia. The research, released on World Environment Day, also revealed the discovery of over 30 giant Formosan cypress trees forming a unique grove in the Benyeyashan area, dubbed the "giant tree temple."

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From the 941 tree data points, candidate number 55214, a Da'an Creek Formosan cypress, was identified as the tallest tree. During an expedition in the Lunar New Year of 2023, after a 20-kilometer winter river trek and a two-day steep ascent, we finally measured it to be 84.1 meters.

Taiwan's unique geographical and climatic conditions, situated on the Tropic of Cancer with high biodiversity and a "fog forest" environment created by the convergence of mountains and sea, are conducive to the growth of these colossal trees. The "Seekers of Trees" team, including researchers from the Forestry Research Institute and National Cheng Kung University, employed LiDAR data to map tree heights. However, initial LiDAR scans required extensive correction due to topographical interference, leading the team to engage the public in identifying accurate tree heights from the processed data.

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The team also discovered a rare pure forest of over 30 giant Formosan cypresses in the Dagu Lake area of Benyeyashan, forming a 'giant tree temple.'

Further analysis of the "giant tree temple" forest in Benyeyashan indicates exceptionally high carbon storage density. Preliminary measurements of the above-ground biomass alone reached 1,384.5 metric tons per hectare, positioning this ecosystem as one of the most carbon-dense forests globally. This finding underscores the critical role of Taiwan's ancient forests in global carbon sequestration efforts.

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The trees alone, excluding the massive root systems, store up to 1,384.5 metric tons per hectare of carbon, making it one of the most carbon-dense forest ecosystems globally.