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Recently, the Redwood National Park Authority in California issued an official statement saying that any visitor approaching the Hyperion tree could face six months in jail and a fine of up to $5,000.
Hyperion is currently located deep within the park's forest, and there are no trails leading to it, as the surrounding natural environment has been severely impacted by the surge in tourist numbers since 2006, when the giant sequoia was accidentally discovered by two naturalists.
The natural environment surrounding the Hyperion tree has been severely impacted. Photo: One Tree Planet
Belonging to the coastal redwood species (Sequoia sempervirens), Hyperion stands 115.92 meters tall, and its name originates from Greek mythology – Hyperion was one of the Titan giants and the father of the sun god Helios and the moon goddess Selene.
"Hyperion is located off-road, traversing dense vegetation, and it takes considerable time to reach the tree. However, despite this arduous journey, the proliferation of bloggers, travel reporters, and tour companies has devastated the habitat surrounding Hyperion. As a traveler, one should consider whether to try to preserve this heritage or seek to destroy it," the statement read.
The rise of social media has led to an increasing number of tourists visiting the area. Photo: One Tree Planet
Leonel Arguello, the park's Director of Natural Resources, told the San Francisco Gate news site that the area has limited GPS and cell phone coverage, making it extremely difficult to rescue any visitor involved in an accident.
Besides erosion and damage to the tree roots, many other problems have arisen as the number of tourists flocking to the area has increased.
Mr. Arguello stated: "Because of the large number of tourists, the number of trash cans and portable toilets that need to be installed has also had to increase. Used toilet paper and human waste are not good for the ecosystem."
However, humans are not the only threat these giant sequoia trees face.
Firefighters are applying fire-resistant aluminum cladding. Photo: CNN
Wildfires are also becoming a growing problem, increasing in number and scope across California's national parks. In 2021, officials at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks had to take extensive measures to protect some of the world's largest trees from wildfires.
General Sherman, considered the world's largest giant spruce, has had a fire-resistant aluminum cladding applied around its trunk, and undergrowth has been cleared to control the blaze.
