Taiwan researchers discover East Asia's tallest tree, an 84-meter Taiwania fir
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Taiwan Forestry Research Institute researchers have identified an 84.1-meter Taiwania fir in the island’s mountainous interior, making it the tallest tree in East Asia. The discovery caps years of expeditions that revealed untouched old-growth forests ranking among Earth’s greatest carbon vaults, even as historic logging removed much of Taiwan’s original woodland.
The Discovery
Since 2014, researchers from the Taiwan Forestry Research Institute (TFRI) and volunteers have sought giant Taiwania firs across Taiwan’s rugged mountains. Using LiDAR mapping, aerial surveys, and professional tree climbers, the team located remote stands that had escaped logging. In 2023, they identified an 84.1-meter specimen — the tallest tree ever recorded in East Asia. The Indigenous Rukai people call these giants 'the tree that hits the moon.' Dense clusters of enormous trees, dubbed 'temples of giants,' were also documented, with dozens of Taiwania exceeding 65 meters growing together.
Mountain Forests as Carbon Vaults
Taiwan spans 36,000 square kilometers, with 258 peaks exceeding 3,000 meters, creating environments from tropical rainforest to alpine tundra. About 60% of the island remains forested, home to an estimated 950 million trees. Industrial logging between 1912 and 1991 cleared much of the primary forest, but steep, inaccessible terrain preserved pockets of old growth. These ancient stands rank among the world’s most carbon-dense ecosystems, storing carbon at rates that rival intact Amazonian forests. The discovery of the 84.1-meter Taiwania and surrounding groves underscores the island’s outsized role as a natural carbon sink.
What's Next
The research team intends to extend LiDAR surveys across unexplored mountain areas to identify more giant trees and advocate for their protection. It remains uncertain whether these findings will prompt stricter conservation measures as Taiwan balances economic development with forest preservation.
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Taiwan researchers discover East Asia's tallest tree, an 84-meter Taiwania fir
