Hanging Garden Tree, over 1000 year old Western red cedar, Meares Island, Tofino, British Columbia

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Meares Island on the West Coast of Vancouver Island, has some of the largest and oldest trees on the planet. The western red cedars (Thuja plicata) are from 1000-1500 years old, and up to 60 feet in diameter and over 200 ft (60 m) tall. It was the site of an anti-logging protest in 1984 by the Nuu-chah-nulth aboriginal people who claim it as ancestral land, supported by many environmentalists, some of who went to jail for the cause. In the end the court ruled against logging and the old growth temperate rain forest remains intact. A wooden board walk was constructed to give access to the largest trees. This ancient giant is festooned with ferns and other growth giving it the nickname Hanging Garden tree. It is a Western Red Cedar, estimated to be 1000-1500 years old, with a circumference of 20 ft. It is one of the famous old trees on Meares Island.

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Size: 3337px × 5000px
Location: Meares Island off Tofino, British Columbia, Canada
Photo credit: © Terry Allen / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No

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