This enormous cypress is representative of the giants present in the newly acquired Bayou Pierre Focus Area of the Red River NWR. An Old Guy was inserted for size comparison.
Nice comparison shot, Fred. Most of these giants were taken at the turn of the last century. I remember when almost everyone in New Orleans had a cypress board fence and I remember too when almost everyone tore them down for the "modern" chain link variety. They burned much of the wood at the city dump then located off Franklin Avenue. I remember the smell of it as a kid. Sad.
I've only seen two about this size. One in Bayou Cocodrie NWR and the other in Cat Island NWR. The one in Cat Island is suppose to be one of the oldest trees in Louisiana.
