UPDATE: Good news, the Giant Toog Tree is given another lease of life after the mayor listened to the pleas of concerned citizens.
Found in Barangay Alegria, San Francisco (San Franz), in Agusan Del Sur, This Giant Toog Tree also known as Philippine Rosewood is considered the oldest and tallest in the country.
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| Giant Toog Tree |
Giant Toog Tree Details:
This particular Toog tree stands 318 feet with a diameter of 7 meters at its base. From a distance, the tree looks like a towering giant amidst a crowd. The tree was judged as the tallest of all toog trees by the Tree Preservation Foundation of the Philippines Inc. in 1980.
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| Agusan Del Sur's Giant Toog Tree |
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| The marker tells the story of this particular tree. |
Toog trees are known for their toughness. It was said that during the olden times, man couldn't cut down the toog trees. Axes and manual saws are useless against their thick trunks. However, when technology improved and machines were introduced to the Philippines, the mighty toog trees finally met their match. The once numerous giants slowly dwindled in number and seldom do the trees reach the same height that they once had.
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| The tree towers higher than the electric lines |
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| I had to crouch low to get this shot |
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| Looking for nests |
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| Me standing next to the tree. |
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| Even my wide-angle lens can't capture the whole tree. |
Today, this Toog tree found in Alegria remains a lasting symbol of environmental conservation not only to the people living near it but to all Filipinos.
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| A fence is built to protect the tree from trucks, buses, and probably loggers |
A few years back, a Manobo named Gil Andipa was paid to scale the tree to install Christmas lights. funding came from generous businessmen and locals. The project was finished in 2011 and the locals were hoping that the Toog tree of Alegria would be added to the Guinness Records as the "World's Tallest Living Christmas Tree". To date, the record is still held by a 162-foot Grand Fir in Couer d'Alene Resort. Giant Toog Tree Admission Fee:
It's FREE to enter the vicinity of the Giant Toog Tree.
Giant Toog Tree Opening Hours:
The Giant Toog Tree vicinity is open 24 hours every day.
Why visit the Giant Toog Tree?
Who wouldn't want to see Agusan del Sur's "Tallest Living Christmas Tree"? Although there is nothing much to do here, seeing this beauty and having a photo with it is a good way to appreciate Mother Nature's awesome gifts.
Getting to the Giant Toog Tree:
From Manila, book a flight to Butuan City in Agusan Del Norte. Once you reach Bancasi Airport in Butuan City, board a bus heading for Davao. Tell the conductor to drop you off at San Franz (San Fransisco) in Agusan Del Sur. From there you could take a 10 to 20-minute motorcycle ride going to Alegria. The Giant Toog Tree is just beside the highway.
Ratings:
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hey kuya, malapit lang bahay namin sa sanfrance. 5mins travel lang :)
ReplyDeleteSmall world talaga no Phoebe?
DeleteIf you tell me it is 60 meters tall, I can believe you. But some claims that it is 87 to 100 meters tall are clearly overstating it! No way it is that tall and even from the photos it doesn't look that tall.
ReplyDeleteWell to be fair I haven't measured it personally but it was the rangers and botanists in San Franz that gave me the data. They scaled the tree and claims that it is still growing. Safe to say it's at around 90-100 meters tall now.
DeleteSo stupid to put the marker on the tree itself!
ReplyDeleteOh the marker is not on the tree. It's found on a cement slab near it.
DeleteLagi namin tong nadadaanan pagbumibiyahi kami. Salamat sa pagshare nito sir!
ReplyDeleteWelcome po!
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