Scientists Finally Reach Tallest Tree in Amazon After Three Years of Planning

A group of scientists overcame a breakthrough expedition after reaching the elusive and tallest building in the Amazon forest.

The goal to reach the tallest tree began when the researchers noticed the enormous tree in the satellite images in 2019, which was part of a 3D mapping project. From that day, scientists felt the urge to find and reach the tree, which took years of planning before they finally made it.

Amazon forest

Based on the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the amazon is rich in animal life and ecosystems, with 1.4 billion acres of forest spanning over eight countries, such as Bolivia, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, and Suriname.

The World Wildlife Fund explained that the Amazon rainforest helps the environment by containing tons of carbon ranging from 90 to 140 billion tons. The 3,977-mile-long Amazon is considered the longest river on the planet.

The contribution of the Amazon forest on Earth is immense because it shelters millions of animal species. Some are still undescribed and undiscovered. According to the World Wildlife Fund, Amazon has a vast diversity, including over 370,00 types of reptiles, 2,400 freshwater fish, and 40,000 plant species. Meanwhile, WWF added that Amazon also has communities with over 30 million people, consisting of diverse indigenous and ethnic groups, who depend on the forest for their livelihood and food source.

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The expedition in the tallest tree was worth it as it will help unveil discoveries and research in the area. Amazon is rich in biodiversity, and some are still undiscovered.

Reaching the tallest tree

(Photo by CARL DE SOUZA/AFP via Getty Images)

Climbing and reaching the tallest tree, the size of a 25-story building, was not easy. The scientists planned the initiative for over three years before finally going to Amazon.

According to the report, the gigantic tree called angelim Vermelho, or the scientific name Dinizia excelsa majestically extends to the canopy in the Iratapuru River Nature Reserve in northern Brazil. Scientists said the tallest tree is measured 290 feet tall (88.5 meters).

The article said that the team consisted of environmentalists, academics, and locals, and they started with a 10-day trek traveling the tallest tree. The expedition from September 12 to 25 made it, embarking on the journey over 155 miles (250 kilometers) by boat and another 20 kilometers on the mountainous terrain.

Forest Engineer Diego Armando Silva said the expedition to the Amazon forest was worth it. He is also from Amapa Federal University.

After reaching the tallest tree in Amazon, they gathered samples to analyze the tree's age and the amount of carbon it stored. According to Silva, they estimated that the tallest tree could be 400 to 600 years.

Amazon threat

Amazone forests store a large amount of carbon that helps the environment fight climate change. However, the forests and animals living there have faced threats.

World Wildlife Fund noted that Amazon has suffered from increasing deforestation, affecting the animals living in the area.

In addition, Amazon is known to be rich in natural resources resulting in mining activities, and overharvesting aquatic resources can harm the environment.

Amazon conservation is crucial in the environment to mitigate climate change.