Centurion (tree)

The Centurion is the world's tallest known individual Eucalyptus regnans tree and E. regnans is the third-tallest tree species in the world after the coast redwood and the yellow meranti.[1] The tree is located in southern Tasmania, Australia and was measured by climber-deployed tapeline at 99.6 metres (327 ft) tall in 2008.[2][3]

Centurion
A photo of Centurion taken in April 2009
Centurion
SpeciesEucalyptus regnans
Coordinates43°04′38″S 146°46′07″E
Height99.7 m (327 ft)
Diameter4.05 m (13.3 ft)

It was discovered in August 2008 by employees of Forestry Tasmania while analysing the data collected by LiDAR system used in mapping and assessment of state forest resources.[4]

Condition

The tree is in a small patch of very old forest surrounded by secondary forest and has survived logging and forest fires by lucky coincidence. Near Centurion grow two other giant trees: the 86.5 metre tall E. regnans named Triarius and The Prefect which had a girth of 19m until destroyed in the 2019 fires.[5]

In February 2019 it was damaged from a bushfire that devastated the surrounding area but appears to have initially survived. A new hollow in the base was created by the fire.[6]

Height

Two more recent measurements indicated that the tree was growing, albeit very slowly. In January 2014 the tree was climbed and the tape drop indicated the tree had grown to 99.82m. However, a further tape drop done in 2016 obtained the slightly lower height of 99.67m [7] Centurion was re-measured again by ground laser in December 2018 and was found to have possibly reached 100.5 meters in height. [8]

The diameter of Centurion is 4.05 metres, its girth exceeds 12 metres, and its volume has been estimated at 268 cubic metres. The name "Centurion" was saved for the hundredth noble tree to be discovered by Forestry Tasmania and coincided with the height of the tree. Named after centurions (Roman officers), the root of the name contains centum, which in Latin means "one hundred". Centurion is alternately known as "the Bradman" as the height of the tree at 99.82 metres was close to the test run average of the Australian cricketer Donald Bradman.[9]

The tallest known coast Douglas fir is now listed at 99.7 m tall and comes a close third.

See also

References
  1. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/04/worlds-tallest-tropical-tree-discovered-climbed-borneo/. Retrieved 2020-01-16. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. "Tassies Tallest Trees". Archived from the original on 2014-02-10. Retrieved 2015-03-18.
  3. "Australia's Champion Trees". National Register of Big Trees. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
  4. Forestry Tasmania. "Welcome to the Centurion!". Archived from the original on 2011-03-05. Retrieved 2016-01-21.
  5. ABC. "Fifteen of Australia's biggest trees destroyed by Tasmanian bushfires". Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  6. ABC. "Tasmania's 100-metre tall tree survives bushfire but not without damage".
  7. "Tasmania's Giant Trees - The Arve and Huon Valleys".
  8. https://www.facebook.com/thetreeprojects/posts/937968919729672
  9. Forestry Tasmania. "New series of Going Bush screens Sundays at 5.30pm" (Press release). Archived from the original on 2010-01-21. Retrieved 2010-01-03.
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