In 1906, forestry pioneer A.K. Eastwood planted exotic trees (Eucalyptus saligna) in Magoebaskloof, Limpopo, which are still providing shade to weary hikers there. These trees in the Magoebaskloof State Forest have been declared national champion trees for more than a decade. The champion tree project is managed by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment with the aim of listing and protecting trees of exceptional national conservation value. The public can nominate trees to gain this status. Once experts have verified the facts included in the nomination, trees are recognized and listed as such.
Eight years ago, Leon Visser climbed the highest of the mentioned group of trees in Magoebaskloof to measure it. At the time it was 81,5 meters high, making it the tallest tree in Africa, as well as the tallest planted tree in the world. Since then, a 81,5-meter-high mahogany tree (Entandrophragma excelsum) has been found in a remote valley in Tanzania. Furthermore, in 2018 a mountain ash (Eucalyptus regnans) was found in the Orokonui Ecosanctuary in New Zealand, which is 82.25 meters high.
Due to the fierce competition for the championships, South African dendrologists (tree experts) and tree climbers decided to go and see if the trees in Magoebaskloof had become much higher in the meantime.
It was difficult to determine which of the three tallest trees previously measured there, also known as the Magoebaskloof Triplets, was the tallest. The tree experts also thought that an even taller tree might be hidden amongst them. On 8 November 2021 the group climbed a tree next to the Magoebaskloof Triplets and measured it. With very exact measuring processes it was determined that this tree is a whopping 83,7 meters high. Thus two records were broken simultaneously ‒ it is now the tallest tree ever measured in Africa, as well as the tallest planted tree on the planet! It will henceforth be known as the Fourth Kin, as it is joining the Triplets in the record books.
The interesting process followed to climb and measure the trees, is described in an article by NewsHorn Media. Two of those involved, Izak van der Merwe and the very same Leon Visser, also told more about their expedition during an interview aired during the programme driesestig of the Afrikaans radio service RSG. It is a joy to listen to the podcast of this interview.
A list of all the champion trees in South Africa can be found on the website of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment.
South Africa also holds the record for the tree with the second largest diameter in the world, namely the Sagole Baobab (Adansonia digitata), also known as Muvuyo wa Makhadzi. It has a stem diameter of 10.8 meters and a circumference of more than 33 meters!
Visits to these exceptional trees can be a wonderful experience for nature lovers!
