The 2nd tallest Tropical Tree in the world

2010:
"We were surprised when the scientist told us that the world's tallest tropical rainforest tree is here. To us it is like a treasure to Tawau. Even though some years ago, this area was known as a logging district, we still have a treasure for future generations" Tawau Hills Park manager Ariffin Johari told BERNAMA on 6th August 2010

2016:
Greg Asner of the Carnegie Airborne Observatory (CAO) revealed the new record holder in November 2016 during his keynote speech at the 2016 International Heart of Borneo Conference.

English Name : Dipterocarpus spec
Scientific Name : Shorea faguetiana
Height : 88.33 m
Location : Tawau Hills Park, Sabah

Tawau Hills park has one of the tallest tropical trees in the world according to the measurements made by American scientists this January 2007.

Lowland tropical rain forests used to cover vast areas in the Amazon region, central Africa, and the Far East. Today this rain forests have been greatly reduced since the dawn of civilization.

More about this Tall Tree in Malaysia (Also the 2nd tallest Tropical Tree in the World)

TRAIL TO THE TALL TREE
The trial is 500 meters from the junction of main trail to Hot Spring. And this junction is about 400 meters from the main park entrance (ticket counter) at the road side.

The walk takes about 30 minutes one way. Map is available for tourists at the ticket counter (if you ask). The 900m trek to the tallest tree is easy for most adults and children. Visitors usually track further to Gelas Water fall or Hot Spring after this tall tree.

THE TREE
"Pokok Gergassi Tawau". It is an 88.1 m Shorea faguetiana (Dipterocapaceae) tree. Tom Greenwood, Brett Mifsud and Roman Dial measured it with a tape drop in September 2005.

TALL TREES IN TAWAU HILLS PARK
There are many other huge and beautiful trees in the park other then this second tallest known tropical tree in the world. On the journey to the park you see plantations with endless oil palm tree. Less then 100 year ago these plantations we see today were once original jungle since ancient time with majestic trees.

LEECHES
During rain seasons do expect some blood sucking leeches!
Leeches is a reason why many amazing nature parks like this are not favourite places of certain tourists.

"...the world's tallest documented tropical tree,
"Pokok Gergassi Tawau".
It is an 88.1 m Shorea faguetiana (Dipterocapaceae).... "

Photo (by Brett Mifsud) of the world's tallest documented tropical tree, "Pokok Gergassi Tawau". It is an 88.1 m Shorea faguetiana (Dipterocapaceae). Tom Greenwood, Brett Mifsud and I measured it with a tape drop in Sabah, Malaysia September 2005. Pictured are James Aldred on the left and Roman Dial on the right.

The tallest trees we found less than 2 km away in Tawau Hill Park, a 27,000 hectare Sabah State Park that was established in a sea of oil and cocao plantations to protect the water supply there.
Most of it has been selectively logged, but we found a small 1 or 2 hectare patch with 5 trees of four different species that each reached over 80 m. We think there is a 90 m tree in there and **know** there's one very close to that:).........
Tawau has very tall trees and is known to historically have had the tallest trees due to the basalt soils there, which are very rare for Borneo. These soils make Tawau the richest palm oil producing region in Sabah, the state which is the richest oil palm producer in Malaysia, which is apparently the best oil palm producing country in the world.

The Eastern Native Tree Society
ENTS is a cyberspace interest group devoted to the documentation and celebration of trees and forests of the eastern North America and around the world............

......Sabah Forestry Department director Datuk Sam Mannan said the clearing and extraction of 1,639 logs was for the geothermal plant project site located in Sabah’s east coast........ the state had received some RM340,000 in royalties from the timber extracted from the area......

The tall tree of Babanga Forest Reserve in Bandar Sri Indah
Tawau 19 Km

Bandar Sri Indah is in the close vicinities of the Membelua Forest Reserve and Babanga Forest Reserve. Many tall tropical trees can be seen at Bandar Sri Indah

Mr. Pang the seedling cultivator of 8,000 Flame of the Forest (Delomix Regia) trees along the highway from Mile 4 Apas Road up to the Tawau Airport by 2017

GO FURTHER

ANIMALS

Tawau Hills Park is home to hundreds of species of plants and animals....

ENVIRONMENT

This fig tree is the largest tree in Tawau Town, the town that hosted the Tallest Tropical-Tree at Tawau Hills Park. Using the width of the road as a scale, the canopy of this giant tree is about 50 meters in diameter...

HISTORY & CULTURE

Borneo is a melting pot of races, religions, and cultures of the East and Wast...

TRAVEL

Holidays and Exploration in Borneo Island...