Duncan Cedar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Duncan Cedar |
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The Duncan Memorial Cedar in 2016
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| Species | Western redcedar (Thuja plicata) |
| Coordinates | 47°43′10.5″N 124°18′54.2″W / 47.719583°N 124.315056°W |
| Height | 178 ft (54 m) |
| Diameter | 19.4 ft (5.9 m) |
| Volume of trunk | 434 m3 (15,330 cu ft) |
The Duncan Cedar, also known as the Duncan Memorial Cedar, is a truly giant Western redcedar tree. It stands tall on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington, one of the U.S. states. This amazing tree is currently the second largest Western redcedar known in the world. Only the Cheewhat Giant on Canada's Vancouver Island is bigger.
After another huge tree, the Quinault Big Cedar, died in 2016, the Duncan Cedar became the largest Western redcedar in the United States. It's also the biggest tree of any kind in Washington state! In fact, it's one of the largest trees on Earth. Only some giant Redwood trees in California are bigger.
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Where is the Duncan Cedar?
The Duncan Cedar is found in Jefferson County. It's about 15 miles from U.S. Route 101. The land around it is managed by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. Getting to the tree can be a bit of an adventure! You can only reach it by old logging roads that are not kept up very well.
A Forest's Story
The area around the Duncan Cedar was once a thick, ancient old-growth rainforest. But in the mid-1900s, most of these old trees were cut down by loggers. This process is called clearcutting. It means almost all the trees in an area are removed.
Today, the Duncan Cedar is surrounded by a younger forest. This "second growth" forest has grown up since the original trees were cut. It's a mystery why this one giant tree was left standing when all the others around it were harvested. The tree is named after the loggers who first found it.
How Old and Healthy is the Duncan Cedar?
Experts believe the Duncan Cedar is over 1,000 years old. Imagine all the history this tree has seen! Most of the tree's wood is actually dead. Only a strip of bark on one of its trunks is still alive.
Surviving Through the Centuries
The tree's root system was also damaged a bit when a walking path was built around its base. However, Western redcedars are very tough trees. They are naturally good at fighting off pests and rot. This means the Duncan Cedar is not necessarily in bad health, even with its age and past damage.
According to Robert Van Pelt, a professor who studies trees at the University of Washington, the Duncan Cedar could live for many more centuries. It would take a strong wind, a big fire, or human actions to destroy it. This amazing tree continues to stand as a symbol of nature's strength and resilience.
