In the remote mountains of Taiwan, an extraordinary 84.1-meter tall Taiwania fir has been identified as the tallest tree documented in East Asia. This remarkable find resulted from years of challenging fieldwork, advanced LiDAR mapping, and the efforts of hundreds of citizen scientists who combed through dense forest landscapes to locate these elusive giants.
The island’s rugged and steep terrain has preserved ancient forests, where colossal Taiwania cryptomerioides trees thrive untouched by human development. Revered by the Indigenous Rukai people as the “tree that touches the moon,” these majestic trees rank among the largest in their habitat.
Published in Frontiers, the study outlines how a multidisciplinary team of climbers, ecologists, geologists, remote sensing experts, and volunteers diligently tracked and measured these towering trees over several years.
A Decade-Long Quest to Find Taiwan’s Tree Giants
The expedition began back in 2014 when the Taiwan Forestry Research Institute explored the Cilan conservation area in search of the well-known “Chilan Three Sisters.” Although locals had long been aware of these enormous Taiwania firs, precise scientific measurements were lacking. The tallest among them was recorded at 69.3 meters, with a massive trunk width nearing three meters.
These trees gained international recognition following a 2017 photo expedition led by Australia’s The Tree Projects, revealing the awe-inspiring scale of Taiwan’s forests. Subsequent efforts pushed further into the wild regions near Mt. Benya and Great Ghost Lake, areas rumored to shelter even bigger Taiwania firs.
The journey to these giants demanded a grueling four-day trek carrying specialized gear. They climbed a 71.7-meter specimen during one expedition but soon realized that visually pinpointing the tallest trees was unreliable, as dense forest canopies obscure true heights.
Advanced Tech Reveals Hidden Tree Behemoths
Collaborating with remote sensing experts from National Cheng Kung University, the team leveraged LiDAR technology—using laser pulses emitted from aircraft to map the terrain below. The return time of these pulses helped create detailed three-dimensional models of forest structure, allowing scientists to estimate tree heights over vast, inaccessible areas.
Despite promising results, Taiwan’s complex landscape of cliffs and steep slopes occasionally skewed data, falsely inflating tree heights. To improve accuracy, in 2020, hundreds of volunteer citizen scientists volunteered to scrutinize LiDAR images, weeding out inaccuracies caused by the rugged terrain.
The project revealed that nearly 93% of automated detections were incorrect, with human reviewers better equipped to identify faulty readings. This collaboration culminated in the 2022 launch of the Taiwan Giant Tree Map, cataloging 941 trees exceeding 65 meters in height.
Following this map, researchers reached the tallest Taiwania fir in January 2023. After tracking a river for 20 kilometers and hiking uphill for two days, climbers measured the tree at 84.1 meters, calling it the “Heaven Sword of the Da’an River.”
Carbon-Rich Forests of Ancient Giants
The search for record-breaking trees also uncovered dense groves of giant trees growing side by side. These clusters were described as “temples of giants” due to their impressive number and size. Near Mt. Benya, one hectare contained eleven trees over 65 meters tall. Another expedition in the Great Ghost Lake region identified about 30 massive Taiwania firs within an ancient forest area.
Scientists further evaluated the carbon storage capacity of these forests. In 2024, collaborating with 15 citizen researchers in the Tao Tree valley, home to Taiwan’s third tallest tree, they discovered that the forest stored approximately 1,384.5 Mg/ha of carbon, excluding the substantial biomass of root systems underground.
The Frontiers report highlights Taiwan’s giant forests as some of the planet’s most carbon-dense ecosystems. These towering trees are not only incredible natural wonders but are also significant long-term carbon sinks important for environmental protection.
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