‘Weighing’ giant sequoias shows they are well adapted to growing in UK

to “weigh” giant sequoia trees growing in the British landscape has revealed the North American natives are well adapted to the UK.

The study shows that the enormous trees grow at similar rates to those in their native California, despite the differences in the ecological situation, and can capture large amounts of carbon when they grow in Britain.

There are an estimated half a million giant sequoia and closely related coastal redwoods in the UK, while in the wild giant sequoias are endangered with just 80,000 still growing in California's Sierra Nevada mountains.

Here the giant sequoias, which can grow up to 90m (nearly 300ft) tall over their 3,000-year lives, are already some of the country's largest trees, despite only being introduced in the mid-19th century.

They were first imported to the UK as seeds and seedlings in 1853, and now with recent interest in planting more redwoods, as a result of their public appeal and potential for storing carbon, the team said it was important to know more about their growth and carbon uptake in the UK.

So researchers from University College London (UCL), with colleagues from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, set out to analyse the growth rate and resilience of giant sequoias in the British climate – which is milder and with a wider range of rainfall than in their native ecosystem – for the first time. Because of their history, many of the specimens' ages are known, helping scientists to calculate their growth rate. The team compiled the first dedicated map of giant sequoias in the UK, mapping nearly 5,000 known trees, including an avenue at Benmore Botaniresearch ca lg arden, du noon. they used 3D terrestrial laser scanning to make detailed structural measurements of the trees to assess their above-ground biomass.

The study's lead author Ross Holland said: "Giant sequoias are some of the most massive organisms on Earth and in their native range make up some of the most carbon dense forests in the world due to their great age.

"We found that UK redwoods are well adapted to the UK and able to capture a large amount of carbon dioxide.”