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Tunnel tree

Large tree in whose trunk a tunnel has been drilled From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tunnel tree
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A tunnel tree is a large tree, typically a giant sequoia or coastal redwood, through which a tunnel has been carved. This practice was primarily carried out in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the western United States, particularly in California. Tunnel trees were created as tourist attractions, allowing visitors to walk or drive through the tree, often by horse-drawn carriages or automobiles.[1]

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Horse-drawn wagon driving through the Wawona Tree in Mariposa Grove in Yosemite National Park, 1902

The creation of tunnel trees was intended to boost tourism, making the sites iconic landmarks.[1] Examples of tunnel trees are predominantly found in national parks such as Yosemite National Park, and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park. Notable examples include the now-fallen Wawona Tree in Yosemite and the Chandelier Tree in Leggett, California.[2]

However, the practice of boring tunnels into living trees caused significant harm to their structural integrity and overall health. Over time, many tunnel trees fell due to the damage inflicted during the tunneling process.[1] As awareness of nature conservation increased, the practice was discontinued. Existing tunnel trees are now preserved as historical artifacts, and no new tunnel trees are being created.[3]

The California Tunnel Tree is the only remaining giant sequoia tunnel tree, while the other three surviving tunnel trees are coastal redwoods.[1]

Today, tunnel trees serve as reminders of an earlier era in American tourism and as examples of the evolving understanding of the importance of conservation and tree preservation.[1]

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