Hyperion, certified by Guinness World Records as the tallest living tree in the world, is officially off-limits to visitors.
California’s Redwood National Park released a statement last week that anyone caught near the tree could face up to six months in prison and a $5,000 fine.
The tree, which is at the back of the park and has no trails leading to it, has faced serious environmental degradation from thrill seekers who have visited it since 2006, when it was found by a pair of naturalists.
The coast sequoia tree (sequoia sempervirens) is 115.92 meters tall and its name is derived from Greek mythology — Hyperion was one of the Titans and father of the sun god Helios and the moon goddess Selene.
“Hyperion is located off the trail through dense vegetation and requires a heavy ‘fight’ to get to the tree,” reads a statement on the national park’s website.
“Despite the difficult journey, the rise in popularity due to bloggers, travel writers and websites of this off-trail tree has resulted in the devastation of the habitat around Hyperion,” the statement reads. “As a visitor, you must decide whether to be part of the preservation of this unique landscape — or part of its destruction?”
Leonel Arguello, the park’s head of natural resources, told the San Francisco Gate news website that the area has limited cell phone and GPS service, meaning it can be very challenging to rescue any lost or injured adventurers in the area.
In addition to erosion and damage to the base of the tree, there are secondary issues arising from the influx of people.
“There was rubbish and people were creating even more side paths to use the toilet. They leave used toilet paper and human waste — not a good thing,” Arguello said.
Human visitors are not the only risk to these giant trees.
Wildfires are a growing concern in California’s national parks.
In 2021, officials at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks took extreme measures to protect some of the world’s largest trees from fire.
General Sherman, considered the world’s largest tree — determined by density rather than height, as it is shorter than Hyperion — was wrapped in an “aluminium-based burn-resistant material” similar to aluminum foil to keep it safe. during the devastating KNP Complex Fire.
Source: CNN Brasil
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