An extraordinary find in the Border Ranges National Park of Far North New South Wales has occurred. They’ve discovered Australia’s tallest rainforest tree – a hoop pine that’s a whopping 77 metres tall! Griffith University carried out a wider national study investigating old-growth forests. The research is intended to create models of climate change adaptation plans for the Northern Rivers and the Wet Tropics of Queensland.
Dr. Patrick Norman, the project lead from Griffith University, spearheaded the research, utilizing Airborne Laser Scanning technology to measure forest canopy heights like never before. This new method allowed them to classify tree-canopy crowns and heights with precision across a staggering 3.1 million hectares. As a consequence, they discovered revolutionary information about trees and the health of tangentially knowing trees grew exponentially.
Groundbreaking Technology Used in Discovery
Research using Airborne Laser Scanning allowed for an unparalleled level of detail in measuring forest canopies. The researchers dug deep, analyzing millions of trees. Among the many towering trees, they pinpointed the towering hoop pine, which wowed with its height and had the most important meaning within its species.
Dr. Norman couldn’t hide his excitement about the find. Without a hint of hyperbole, he said that the project’s results showed their one best tree shining through the forest, so to speak. The hoop pine’s 77-metre height, while exceptional for its species, still falls short of the overall tallest tree in Australia—a mountain ash located in Southern Tasmania that reaches 99.6 metres.
“[The team was] very excited to see there was just one tree that really glowed in the Border Ranges National Park,” – Dr Patrick Norman
Verification Plans Underway
Dr Norman is keen to confirm the hoop pine’s record height. In order to do this he intends to send a climber into the tree’s canopy. He stated, “If the 77-metre is exactly accurate, we will try to get a climber to do the verification. They have to drop a tape from the top to give it the final tick.” This process was the last confirmation required for this momentous find.
Beyond confirming the height, Dr. Norman was keen on doing more ground truth assessments. “I’d love to do a ground truth where we can do some tree height measures from the ground and a little bit of drone work to build a 3D model from it,” he noted. Such efforts would not only establish the accuracy of the findings but enhance understanding of forest dynamics in the region.
Implications for Climate Change Research
Our researchers were delighted by the discovery of this beautiful tall hoop pine. This result bears major implications for climate change research. Brisbane’s Global Change Institute Adaptation Strategies for the Northern Rivers region NSW and Wet Tropics of Queensland hopes to do that by developing a better understanding of forest ecosystems.
By mapping and studying these old-growth forests, researchers hope to contribute valuable data toward preserving biodiversity and enhancing resilience in the face of climate change challenges.
