Wisconsin's Big Tree

Today Im going to get away from the kritters a bit and talk about another wonder of Gods creationthe majestic White Pine tree. Im sure that many of us have had the opportunity to walk through a grove of Pine treeswith the wind whistling - almost singing - through the needles -- natures soothing music of peace and tranquility.

The American White Pine has the honor of being the tallest of the trees in eastern North America. When the early settlers arrived in America, White Pine forests covered much of eastern North America, but today only about one percent of the original virgin forest trees remain untouched by the massive logging operations of the 17- and 1800s.

Early colonists reported White Pines to have grown as tall as 230 feet. There were even unverifiable reports of even taller White Pines. The standing record tallest pines today reach to between 160 and 190 feet. Before it lost its top in Hurricane Opal in 1995, the Boogerman Pine was 207 ft tall. The current height champion White Pine is the Longfellow Pine in Cook Forest State Park, PA. It measures about 184 feet tall.

Diameters of the larger pines can range from 3-5 ft across but diameters of over 4.75 feet are quit rare today. Unverifiable reports from pioneer America reported diameters of virgin white pines of up to 8 feet across. Wow - thats a lot of tooth-picks!

The tallest White Pine in our state of Wisconsin today is 167 feet and is located on the Menominee Indian Res ...