Greeting Giants

Title: Greeting Giants
Description: Learn all about the trees of Washington and where you can find the tallest, thickest and oldest trees in the state.
Season: Any season
Length of Activity: 30 minutes
Age: Any age

Greeting Giants

Washington, the evergreen state, is home to over 32 different tree species. Some of which lose their leaves, some of which remain green year round. Some that provide us with hardwood for building and others whose fruit is used for medicinal purposes.

But what about the tallest tree? The thickest tree, and the oldest tree?
Do we know what species they belong to and where in our state they reside?

What do you say we put on our arborist hats and take a daytime adventure to greet the giants of our state?

Supplies and Tools needed:
Good walking shoes
A car for transportation
(optional) a notebook to record our observations

Getting started

Step 1: Start by mapping out your destinations. You can find a list of the thickest, tallest and oldest trees in the state here.
Step 2: Once you know where to find your trees, buckle up and drive to your first destination.
Step 3: Upon arriving, walk to locate your tree. See if you can tell the difference between the trees you pass. Do they all belong to the same species?
Step 4: After you’ve located your giant, give it a big hug. Let the hug last for 5= minutes and have a conversation with it. Listen to see if you can hear what the tree says. Does it tell you any stories? Does it reveal how old it is?
Step 5: See if you can guess the height and circumference of the trunk.

Taking it Deeper
What kind of vital role do you think trees might play in the ecosystem?
Have you ever thought how leaves might contribute to that role?
Why do you think some leaves fall and some leaves don’t?
What does a falling leaf indicate?
Have you ever thought about how much water a tree might drink per year?
Do all trees drink equal amounts or might some be thirstier than others?