Cottonwood and Balsam Poplar | Geophysical Institute
Nov 6, 2025 · The Klukwan giant holds the national record for black cottonwood diameter. Its nearest rival, a tree near Salem, Oregon, does hold the national height record. The Klukwan giant belies the …
Northern Tree Habitats - Geophysical Institute
Nov 6, 2025 · Interior Alaskan forests have only six native tree species: white spruce, black spruce, quaking aspen, balsam poplar, larch (tamarack) and paper birch. Northern Canadian forests have all …
The largest black spruce in Alaska | Geophysical Institute
Aug 16, 2010 · The tree leans uphill, and its trunk is 45 inches around. When I hugged it, I could barely clasp my hands together. The largest black spruce in Alaska is a lucky tree, because its neighbors to …
The majesty and mystery of Alaska yellow cedar | Geophysical Institute
Jul 23, 2021 · A tree near one of our campsites had a crack at its base through which we could pass the folded saw. Yet the tree was still alive, with just one rope of cambium — the outer bark that …
Trees as Earthquake Fault Indicators | Geophysical Institute
Nov 6, 2025 · Then using tree ring dating methods, it may be possible to date earthquakes occurring before historical records were kept. The ability to identify and date very large earthquakes occurring …
More on Why Tree Trunks Spiral | Geophysical Institute
Nov 6, 2025 · I eventually found a tree with a spiral lightning mark and it followed the spiral grain exactly. One tree, of course, proves nothing. "But why should the tree spiral? More speculation here: Foliage …
Tree Rings and History | Geophysical Institute
Nov 6, 2025 · A tree's age can be easily determined by counting its growth rings, as any Boy or Girl Scout knows. Annually, the tree adds new layers of wood which thicken during the growing season …
Witches' Broom | Geophysical Institute
Nov 6, 2025 · Witches' broom on spruce trees is caused by a rust disease (a kind of fungus disease). The rust lives on the spruce tree throughout the year. Each spring, small yellow pustules appear on …
The secret life of red squirrels | Geophysical Institute
Nov 27, 2024 · Stan Boutin has climbed more than 5,000 spruce trees in the last 30 years. He has often returned to the forest floor knowing if a ball of twigs and moss within the tree contained newborn red …
Tamarack -- Not A Dead Spruce | Geophysical Institute
Nov 6, 2025 · It is not possible to foretell if tamarack may some day become a commercial crop, but one thing is certain: the "spruce that dies" each fall has some unique qualities that make it a desirable …