Allen Russell (tree)

36°13′24″N 118°40′35″W / 36.22342°N 118.67643°W / 36.22342; -118.67643 Allen Russell is the 32nd or 33rd largest giant sequoia in the world.[1] It is also the largest tree in Balch County Park, and is part of the Mountain Home Grove, a sequoia grove located in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains of California, United States. It is the 34th largest giant sequoia in the world, and could be considered either the 33rd or 32nd largest depending on how badly Ishi Giant and Black Mountain Beauty have atrophied following devastating wildfires in 2015 and 2017, respectively.

History

Allen Russell was measured in 1985 by "big tree hunter" Wendell Flint and photographer Mike Law, who determined that it was at the time the 34th largest tree in the world, in terms of volume, and the largest tree in Balch Park. Today it ranks as the 33rd largest tree. It was subsequently dedicated in 1990 by Tulare County to Allen I. Russell, the ranger of Balch County Park from 1961 to 1990, for his many years of service to the park.[1][2][3]

Dimensions

The dimensions of Allen Russell as measured by Flint and Law are shown below. The calculated volume ignores burns.[1]

Metres Feet
Height above base 77.4 253.9
Circumference at ground 24.3 79.7
Diameter 5 ft (1.5 m) above ground 6.6 21.7
Diameter 60 ft (18.3 m) above ground 4.2 13.9
Diameter 120 ft (36.6 m) above ground 4.0 13.2
Diameter 180 ft (54.9 m) above ground 3.1 10.1
Estimated volume (m3.ft3) 895 31,606

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Flint, Wendell D.; Law, Mike (2002). To Find the Biggest Tree (2nd ed.). Three Rivers, California: Sequoia Natural History Association. pp. 71 & 116–117. ISBN 1878441094.
  2. ^ "Russell Tree Marker". Welcome to Balch Park (an old Geocities website archived on oocities.com). 1997. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
  3. ^ Otter, Floyd L.; Dulitz, David (2007). The History of A Giant Sequoia Forest: The Story of Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest. Otter Veterinary Services, Incorporated. 71. ISBN 978-0961445935.


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