研究人员在台湾偏远山区发现了一片隐藏的老生林，其中包含数百棵巨大的台湾杉，并于2023年1月确认了一棵高达84.1米的台湾杉，正式认可其为台湾及整个东亚最高的树木，命名为"大安溪天剑"[1]。这项研究始于2014年8月，由台湾林业研究所主导，历经多年远征、LiDAR扫描和公民科学协作才得以完成[1]。至2026年初，研究团队已测量并攀登了10棵超过70米的台湾杉[1]。
这片古老森林具有极高的生态和碳储存价值。森林碳密度达到1,384.5 Mg/ha，列全球最高碳密度生态系统之列[1]。研究团队于2022年底完成了"台湾巨树地图"，记录了941棵超过65米的树木[1]。在公民科学项目中，市民识别数据消除了93%的假阳性候选树，展现了社区参与在科研中的重要作用[1]。台湾约60%的土地被森林覆盖，估计有9.5亿棵树[1]。
A research team has unveiled a remote pristine forest in Taiwan's central mountains containing hundreds of towering Taiwan cypress trees, along with what is now recognized as East Asia's tallest tree.[1] The discovery emerged from years of expeditions combined with LiDAR scanning technology and collaborative citizen science efforts.[1] In January 2023, researchers formally confirmed a Taiwan cypress standing 84.1 meters high, which the team named "Daan Creek Heavenly Sword."[1]
The hidden old-growth forest ecosystem demonstrates exceptional carbon storage capacity, with a carbon density of 1,384.5 megagrams per hectare—placing it among the world's highest-density carbon reservoirs.[1] The research initiative began in August 2014 under the leadership of Taiwan's Forest Research Institute and involved experts in remote sensing from National Cheng Kung University.[1] By early 2026, the research team had measured and climbed ten Taiwan cypress trees exceeding 70 meters in height.[1]
A completed "Taiwan Giant Tree Map" compiled by the end of 2022 documents 941 individual trees surpassing 65 meters.[1] Citizen scientists played a crucial role in validating candidates, with public participants identifying data that eliminated 93 percent of false positives in the tree selection process.[1] Taiwan's forests cover approximately 60 percent of the island's land area and are estimated to contain 9.5 billion trees.[1]