Ontario's tallest tree still standing in Arnprior, Ont. following storm cleanup
Gilles Grove nature reserve in Arnprior, Ont. reopened to the public Thursday following a nearly month long clean up from the derecho in May.
It is a hidden local gem in the small town west of Ottawa, favoured by hikers, dog walkers, and cyclists.
And still standing in the middle of the forest is Ontario's tallest recorded tree. It is a white pine measuring 47 metres tall, equivalent to a 14 or 15-storey building.
"It's nicely secured as an intact woodland in the central part of the forest there, so it's protected from the wind," explains Robert McRae, program director for the Nature Conservancy of Canada in Eastern Ontario.
"The white pine as a species, given the opportunity, will grow very tall and very straight," McRae tells CTV News Ottawa. "We would estimate, based on looking at the rings of other trees with the same diameter, that it would be about 150 years old."
The tree is housed within one of eastern Ontario's few remaining old grown forests, meaning the woodland contains saplings, mature trees, dead-standing trees, and rotting trees on the forest floor.
The white pine tree in Gilles Grove nature reserve is taller than a 10-storey apartment.
It is an average looking tree - one an unsuspecting walker would stroll right by if they did not know about it.
McRae believes the white pine was able to grow to its record height due to the land previously being a private estate, sparing the trees within it from the lumber trade of the Ottawa Valley.
"It's wonderful having it here," says Tara Pocket, who has lived beside Gilles Grove for roughly 15 years. "It's not the fattest but it's the tallest."
"I would think that it would be more likely to be found in Algonquin Park or some place like that," says Peter Shum, who says he walks through Gilles Grove once a week. "Because after all, Algonquin Park, most people have heard about it but if you tell most people outside of Arnprior about this, probably not too many people know."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
Pearson gold heist suspect arrested after flying into Toronto from India
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Millions of cyberattacks per hour as B.C. government investigates multiple breaches
Careful attention to government statements and legislation is required to get a handle on the level of risk British Columbians’ information is under, as investigators probe multiple breaches under a continued barrage of attacks.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Debate on abortion rights erupts on Parliament Hill, Poilievre vows he won't legislate
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Justin and Hailey Bieber are expecting their first child together
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
New 'Lord of the Rings' film coming in 2026
The Oscar-winning team behind the nearly US$6 billion blockbuster 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' trilogies is reuniting to produce two new films.