What is Burl poaching?

Burls are tree growths where the grain has grown in an unusual way. Poachers target both live and dead trees with these growths, and sometimes cut down living redwood trees to access burls from higher up the stem.

What causes burls on redwood trees?

These growths are normally scar tissue, formed as a redwood regenerates its protective bark following injury, such as fires, cuts, or breaks.

What is the biggest redwood tree?

The largest redwood in the world lives in Sequoia National Park, California. It stands at an incredible 84 metres tall and 11.1 metres wide.

Is burl poaching illegal?

Burl is a massive “knobby growth” on redwood trees, according to the National Park Service. It stores the genetic code of the parent tree, so if it falls, the burl can sprout another tree. Burl is illegal to harvest.

Can you harvest a burl without killing tree?

You should never cut burl wood from a living tree. Excising a bit of its trunk can kill the entire plant. No matter how beautiful a burl you have found, you need to skip it if the tree’s still alive.

Did Sherman tree burn?

The General Sherman, the world’s largest tree by volume, is just shy of 275 feet tall and is has a diameter of 36 feet at its base. The giant sequoia is estimated to be around 2,200 years old. The fire did not damage the famous tree and the Giant Forest where it stands was largely spared.

Which is older sequoia or redwood?

The oldest coastal redwood is 2,520 years old and the oldest giant sequoia is about 3,200 years old, Burns said.

What was the tallest tree that ever existed?

Sequoia sempervirens. The tallest tree of all was only discovered in 2006, by naturalists Chris Atkins and Michael Taylor. It was later climbed by Stephen Sillett, who dropped a tape measure from the top and recorded Hyperion’s official height as 115.55m, taller than any other tree on the planet.

What causes redwoods to begin stump sprouting?

Many a majestic redwood tree began as a stump sprout. Stump sprouts are tiny growths from the base of existing trees. They can grow out of a healthy tree, or a tree that has been logged or damaged by fire.

How do you care for redwood burl?

Just keep the temperature moderate, avoid too much sunlight, and give your live burl plenty of water – that’s all they need to thrive. Eventually, if you plant them they will grow into a tree.

What trees are prone to burls?

In fact, burls are prized by woodworkers for their beautiful patterns.



In addition to redwood, these well-known species are also sources for burl:

• Cherry (Prunus)
• Oak (Quercus)
• Ash (Fraxinus)
• Maple (Acer)
• Elm (Ulmus)
• Walnut (Juglans)