Giant Cedar

This giant western redcedar (Thuja plicata) in north Idaho is the largest tree in North America east of the Cascade/Sierra divide. Its 18 feet in diameter, 179 feet tall and possibly 3,000 years old. The Forest Service built the platform around it to protect the ground from being trampled around the tree, but it gives people an encouraging step to climb on the tree. Because cedar have thin park that is easily displaced, this will eventually kill the tree. I have talked to the local FS people about this and they have agreed, but the platform remains. July 2002