Two Legends of the Forest

Legend has it that the tallest tree in the forest represents leadership because its height above the rest gives it a clear view of the future. The majestic, 600-year-old National Geographic Tree stands in the mist-shrouded grandeur of the old growth redwoods along the Pacific coast of northern California, USA. At a height of more than 360 feet (112 meters) with a 12-foot (about 4 meters) girth, it is regarded as the tallest tree in the world.

Seven thousand miles (11,000 kilometers) away the “Lord of the Forest,” Tane Mahuta stands in the Waipoua Forest on New Zealand’s North Island. This mighty kauri tree is 1,250 years old, about 160 feet high (50 meters) and is approximately 14 feet (4 meters) in diameter. It has survived centuries of weather and even the woodsman’s ax. As Lord of the Forest, Tane Mahuta has its own legend of being the strongest, the straightest, and the best of all the trees in the forest.