Expedition Discovered Amazon’s Tallest Tree

The tremendous importance of trees on our planet cannot be overestimated. The larger the tree, the more it absorbs carbon dioxide. In a new study, the tallest known tree in Amazonia was discovered, rising to a height of 88.5 meters, according to the website of the University of Cambridge.

A group of giant trees was discovered by Professor Eric Gorgens using LIDAR, a remote sensing method using a laser scanner on an airplane. They grow in a remote region of northern Brazil, away from human activity. The age of trees can exceed 400 years. Interestingly, they all belong to the same species – Dinizia Excelsa, known in Portuguese as Angelim Vermelho.

Toby Jackson, a fellow at the University of Cambridge’s Conservation Institute, joined Professor Gorgens on an expedition to these giants. The team checked the height of the tallest tree and collected samples to try to understand what makes this forest so special.