Tree height records broken during climb in Magoebas
An expedition of tree climbers broke two new tree records during a tree climb in Magoebaskloof in November as part of the Champion Tree Project.
The climb took place in a stand of exotic saligna gum trees (Eucalyptus saligna) which were declared as national champion trees more than a decade ago, planted by forestry pioneer AK Eastwood in 1906.
They are located in the Magoebaskloof State Forest, managed for commercial tree plantation purposes by the forestry company Komatiland Forests (an affiliate of Safcol). The Champion Tree Project, managed by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), aims to list and protect trees of exceptional national conservation value, Leon Visser, an arborist who serves on the Champion Tree Project evaluation panel of DFFE told the Herald.
Eight years ago Visser climbed one of a group of three trees at Magoebaskloof State Forest thought to be the tallest, and measured it at 81.5 metres tall. It was then labelled as the tallest tree in Africa, as well as the tallest planted tree in the world. Since that time another tree of 81.5 metres tall were found in a remote valley of Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
This tree is a mahogany (Entandrophragma excelsum) discovered by Andreas Hemp, a researcher in plant systematics. There has been another claim for the tallest planted tree in the world, namely a mountain ash (Eucalyptus regnans) in the Orokonui Ecosanctuary in New Zealand. Its height was measured in 2018 at 82.25 metres.
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Earlier this year a privately funded tree climbing expedition was organised to remeasure the gum trees in Magoebaskloof. It was thought that these trees would have grown taller since their last measurement. Visser again was part of a team of four tree climbers, including Cameron Brand, Kyle Brand and Tarl Berry.
Anton Opperman, a photographer, joined the team. The Dendrological Society of South Africa assisted Visser to raise the necessary funding for the expedition. The three tallest trees formerly measured in this tree compartment became known as the Magoebaskloof Triplet. Because of the extreme height of the trees and their close proximity, it was difficult to determine which of the tallest trees hold the height record, and there had been a suspicion that an even taller tree might be lurking among them.
“On November 8 a climbing attempt was therefore made on another tree standing next to the triplets. This tree proved to be the king, and was measured at 83.7 metres. It broke two records at once. This is now the tallest tree ever measured in Africa and the tallest planted tree on the planet,” said Visser. “The competing claims from Tanzania and New Zealand can be put to rest. This tree has now been named the Fourth Kin, linking it by name to the former record-holding triplet trees.”
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The climbing technique used was by catapulting ropes over the high branches, and then from there over even higher branches. Ascending the Fourth Kin from the ground was almost impossible as its upper branches are hidden by plant growth lower down, Visser said.
The technique followed was to get ropes into the triplet trees first using a big shot (which is a very big catapult). A thin weighted line is shot up about forty meters high and then the climbing line pulled through an anchor point. The climbing team ascended in two separate teams, with the first team advancing to a point where they could install long fixed lines for the other two climbers to ascend. They each trailed their own 60 metre climbing lines to advance to the top of the triplet trees.
Measuring the height was done by pushing a tape attached to an extension pole through the last four meters to top leaves of the canopy to read off the height. A drone with a video camera recorded the event. “One of the benefits of this exercise is to promote the tree heritage of South Africa, and especially giant trees. Planted over 110 years ago, these trees at Magoebaskloof State Forest are a legacy to be preserved also for future generations.
A hiking trail winds its way through this stand of trees, and many weary hikers have stared up at their tops in awe.” For more information, contact Visser on trees.stellenbosch@gmail.com or Komatiland Forests: siphelele.sixaso@ safcol.co.za or the Dendrological Society of South Africa: izakvdm@netactive.co.za or president@dendro.co.za
