Overview
- The research team published their findings on Friday, June 5, 2026, reporting an 84.1-meter Taiwania fir as the tallest tree in Taiwan and East Asia.
- The 84.1-meter specimen, called the ‘Heaven Sword of the Da’an River,’ was measured by professional climbers who dropped a tape from the crown to the ground to confirm its height in January 2023.
- The project combined airborne LiDAR with expert review and large-scale citizen screening to produce the Taiwan Giant Tree Map, which lists 941 trees taller than 65 meters.
- Automated LiDAR estimates were frequently distorted by steep terrain, leading the team to report about a 93% misestimate rate and to rely on hundreds of volunteers and expert checks to winnow candidates.
- Field climbs confirmed ten Taiwania over 70 meters by early 2026, identified dense old-growth clusters such as a hectare with 11 trees over 65 meters and a ~30-tree ‘pure forest’, and measured extreme carbon density (1,384.5 Mg/ha) that strengthens calls for improved monitoring and protection against rising storms and illegal logging.