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NewsFlorentine giant stands tallTasmania's largest hardwood tree, 'El Grande', has once again demonstrated the natural resilience eucalypts have to fire.Derwent District Forest Manager Steve Whiteley said today that Tasmania's largest hardwood tree, 'El Grande', has once again demonstrated the natural resilience eucalypts have to fire. "A regeneration burn conducted earlier this month has impacted on the tree despite our efforts to protect it by clearing away nearby harvesting debris, forming fire breaks and wetting down the tree. Mr Whiteley said the giant Florentine Valley tree had sustained charring to the trunk and part of the inside lower portion and it is expected to shed its current covering of leaves before new leaves began to shoot. "El Grande has endured many similar challenges by wildfires in its 350-year history and once again it continues to stand tall. The Eucalypt regnans is of course protected from harvesting under our Giant Tree policy." In deference to the tree's advanced years and fragile condition, Forestry Tasmania will exclude any harvesting or the passage of machinery within 100 metres. Mr Whiteley said that seeds from El Grande had been collected and stored last year. "Some of these seeds will be sown in prepared areas around the old tree to promote giant trees for the future on the site." "We will be conducting a review of the condition of El Grande with a professional arborist in the near future to best manage its future. Earlier studies have shown it to be highly decayed, 80 per cent hollow and susceptible to collapse." Measurements taken at the weekend show its height to still be approximately 79.5 metres. Return to the News Archive |
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