Calaveras County Landmark Dying
Dorrington, CA — It is the world’s largest sugar pine tree and its green needles have been slowly turning brown. Local resident Teri Slankard’s office is right across the street. She noticed the color change a while ago. The tree is on a Girl Scout Camp in Dorrington off of Highway 4. It is believed to be between 600 and 800 years old. It is 208 feet tall and 11.5 feet in diameter. Slankard is in contact with the Girl Scout Camp officials and the Arborist who is working to try to prolong the tree’s life.
“They’re going to trim some of the larger limbs back off of it and dead areas. Anything that is green and able to sprout and grow will be left on the tree. They don’t plan on just cutting it down. They’re going to try to maintain it,” says Slankard.
The tree has been struck by lightning and was visited by Naturalist John Muir in 1900. Slankard says the official word is “It’s simply dying of old age”.
