Giant Sequoia 'The President' Usurps Throne of Second Largest Tree On Earth

Among the community of sprawling sequoia trees in Nevada, the second largest tree on Earth has been dethroned by a 54,000-cubic-foot President.

Humboldt State University redwood researcher Stephen Stillett and his team spent 32 days meticulously measuring the sequoia known as The President before declaring it as victor against the reigning champion, General Grant.

If the gargantuan tree were to be divided into one-foot cubes, The President spans a football field, reports the Washington Post.

The measurements were part of a larger initiative in pursuit of a greater understanding of sequoia trees' role in fighting global warming by effectively trapping carbon dioxide.

"We're not going to save the world with any one strategy, but part of the value of these great trees is this contribution and we're trying to get a handle on the math behind that," explains Stillet.  "I consider [the sequoia] to be the greatest tree in all of the mountains of the world."

The researchers discovered that the 3,240 year-old tree in fact accelerated its carbon dioxide absorption as it aged, contrary to popular belief that elder sequoias' growth slow down with each passing year. The post notes that "The President adds about one cubic meter of wood a year during its short six-month growing season, making it one of the fastest-growing trees in the world."