Giant Trees in Brazil

TRANSCRIPT
Giant Trees in Brazil

NARRATOR:
Brazil’s tallest trees are not all deep in the Amazon. Some of them can be found right here in Rio de Janeiro’s botanical garden, a place where science, history and nature come together. The garden was created in 1808 and holds a remarkable collection of rare plants from around the world. 
The imperial palms are some of the garden’s most famous trees. The first was brought from Mauritius and planted a year after the garden opened. Every palm along this grand path descends from that original tree.
The garden has been open to the public since 1822. Today, the garden is a centre for research and conservation. It helps to protect Brazil’s unique forests, both inside and outside the Amazon. Visitors can explore the collection through guided walks, or by using a mobile app. One of the most popular routes is the Trail of the Giant Trees, which connects the eleven tallest trees. 
Identifying the tallest tree was not easy. Botanists studied thousands of trees by using a technology called lidar to precisely measure their height and size. Lidar stands for “light detecting and ranging.” It uses lasers and GPS to create detailed, three-dimensional maps from above.

SOUNDBITE - Marcus Nadruz:
"We used lidar technology attached to a drone. The drone flies up to 100 metres or well above the treetops and measures using light beams.”

NARRATOR:
Marcus shows a screen displaying the results. The colours on the screen show the height of the trees — the brighter the yellow, the taller the tree. The brightest yellow marks the tallest tree in the garden, which measures almost fifty metres.
The tallest tree is an African mahogany. It is a vulnerable species and one of many here that are rare in the wild. The majestic imperial palms are the second tallest. They are symbols of both the garden’s past and its living heritage.
By mapping and sharing these giant trees, Rio’s botanists are helping people see that protecting forests begins with appreciating them.