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One Giant Tree
The Plant Conservatory brings extreme environments to campus, helping Mustangs find wonder in the world’s most diverse plants.
By Gabby Ferreira // Photos by Joe Johnston
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In early July, a caravan of Cal Poly professors, students and renowned botanists went to Stanislaus National Forest to take updated measurements of the largest Sierra juniper tree on Earth for the California Big Tree Registry. Utilizing measuring tapes and laser rangefinders, they found that the Bennett Juniper, which was last measured at over 80 feet tall, had grown about 8 feet and increased several inches in diameter since it was last measured in 1983.
For Zach Harris, who graduated in June, the experience was “as hands-on as you could get.”
“It was great to just be with everyone and work together to find the best measurements and collect data on this tree,” Harris said. “It was a botany trip, but the most important aspect of it was this sense of community with people in the field.”
First image: Alumnus Ben Sherman uses a laser rangefinder to help take measurements of the Bennett Juniper. Second image: the canopy of the Bennett Juniper. Third image: Professor Matt Ritter (left) and student Jake Jackson measure the circumference of the Bennett Juniper’s trunk.
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