On October 9, the "China Giant Tree Scientific Expedition Team" composed of Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, National Important Wild Plants Germplasm Resource Library Chenshan Center- Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden , China Environmental Protection Foundation , " Wild China " studio, and the Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Chayu County, Linzhi City, Tibet Autonomous Region, released the accurate height of Yunnan Huangguo Fir, "China's tallest tree", 83.4 meters, and also released photos of giant trees. This discovery created a new climbing and collection record for the Chinese giant tree.
The isozoic photo of the giant tree was taken by photographer Xi Zhinong . He is 58 years old and is a Chinese wildlife photographer and environmentalist, and is currently the only Chinese photographer selected for the "International Alliance of Nature Conservation Photographers" (iLCP). He is the initiator of the "Jiu Tree Project" and the founder of the public welfare organization "Wild China".
He said that the "Chinese Giant Tree Science Expedition Team" was named later, and the real name of the shooting activity of Giant Tree is "Giant Tree Project".
The first event under the name of the "Giant Tree Project" was in 2018 when big tree azalea was filmed in Yunnan. Since then, Xi Zhinong has also organized the shooting of giant trees such as hemlock and bald fir . This shooting of yellow fruit fir is the fourth shooting event of the "Giant Tree Project".
"Using the power of images to promote natural protection" is Xi Zhinong's belief and the original intention of the founding of the "Wild China" studio. He used his camera to record wild animals and plants in China, from Yunnan golden monkey to Tibetan antelope , and then to giant trees. In his opinion, human beings have never stopped exploring nature, and the shooting and recording of giant trees are also one of them.
Xi Zhinong Work Photo/Photo: Wild China Studio
【1】The first shooting idea was produced in 2012
9Pai News : What was the opportunity to initiate the "Giant Tree Project" in the first place?
Xi Zhinong: The issue is a long way to go. In 2009, National Geographic took Sequoia , and in 2012, gigantic sequoia, both of which are from North America. Sequoia is the highest in the world, and giant sequoia is the largest in the world. There are these two precedents. I wonder, can we take pictures of the world's largest azalea , right in Yunnan. At that time, around 2012, I also went to discuss this matter with my friends from Gaoligong Mountain Reserve. But at that time, there were no drones and no resources to climb trees. At that time, I also made some ideas, such as using scaffolding, etc. But it was completely unrealistic and was put on hold.
Jiupai News: When did you decide to shoot again?
Xi Zhinong: In 2017, I went to Taiwan to receive the awards, the traditional Chinese version of National Geographic magazine's Chinese explorer's award ceremony, and the cover of that issue happened to be a tree. At that time, I was wondering in my mind, why did they still shoot in such a traditional way after so many years? Then I think it seems that the idea that was not implemented before may be implemented now.
After returning from Taiwan, I tried to take the sandalwood in Dali. It was very simple. I flew with a drone, took a series of photos, and spliced it. This should be feasible if you look at it this way. After that, I contacted my climbing friend and planned to go and shoot big tree cuckoos in February of the next year.
Jiupai News: Is the "Giant Tree Plan" formed when shooting the big tree azalea?
Xi Zhinong: At the beginning, I just thought that National Geographic photographers had taken the tallest and largest tree in the world. China has the largest azalea in the world, so we can also shoot in this way. But it was not realized that year, and it was not realized until 2018. It was later taken slowly and continued to take pictures.
Jiupai News: What activities have been done in the name of the "Giant Tree Plan"?
Xi Zhinong: The original planning plan for our "Giant Tree Plan" was released in January 2018, before shooting the big tree azalea.I dare not say that it once a year later. I took pictures of the big tree azalea in 2018, the hemlock in 2019, the bald fir in 2021, and this year I took pictures of this yellow fruit fir. The "Giant Tree Plan" is also being improved step by step. Nothing is definitely not as perfect as it was at the beginning, and many ideas are constantly being improved.
Jiupai News: This time I saw many reports saying that we are the "Chinese Jushu Science Expedition Team". Is that what is the name?
Xi Zhinong: is not, it has always been called the "Giant Tree Project". We have never called ourselves the "Chinese Giant Tree Science Expedition Team", but our shooting team has scientists following us, climbing trees to inspect vegetation species. Perhaps it is also for the need for official publicity that we are the "scientific expedition team", after all, we are a civil act.
Giant Trees and other photos/Photo: Wild China Studio
[2] Previously, scientists could only "sigh at the tree"
Jiupai News: How did you get the news about Huangguo Fir this time?
Xi Zhinong: We were communicating last year and kept asking about the situation there. In fact, it is a consensus that there are larger and taller trees in southeast Tibet, after all, there are the best forests in China over there. I had a friend who had a special liking for the other side before, and I also had a lot of understanding and communication with him. At that time, I felt that Southeast Tibet must be one of our focus. But at that time I didn’t know how high it was there.
Jiupai News: There are giant trees in the southeast of Tibet. How to determine the tree taken this time?
Xi Zhinong: joked that this is the "competition" about big trees that we have started. We released a 72-meter tree in October last year. In May this year, Peking University posted a 76.8-meter Bhutan pine . Less than a week after the release, the Institute of Fertilizer released this 83.4-meter yellow fruit fir tree. At that time, we felt that this was just a release, a single post was released, without more in-depth and detailed content. You have to take his waiting photos and let the scientists go to the top of this tree. Only by doing this will the matter be complete.
Jiupai News: What is the process of shooting the giant tree this time?
Xi Zhinong: Everything is difficult at the beginning. First, you must hang the rope up and hang it to the place as safe and strong as possible. Then you must use a fishing line, use a huge slingshot to pull the rope up, and then lead the rope up the formal climbing rope, which can open up the first step. Due to various road traffic conditions in Tibet, I arrived two days late. Our staff had already prepared the preliminary work, and when I arrived, I officially started measuring.
Jiupai News: Is the shooting of giant trees relatively niche in the domestic photography circle?
Xi Zhinong: is nothing to do with the photography circle. No one did this before when shooting giant trees. "Wild China" is another organization dedicated to using images to promote the process of nature conservation and using images to enhance the Chinese public's awareness of nature and awareness of protection. It is entirely out of a responsibility, a mission, and a mission, and no one does such a thing. There are only three places in the world doing it.
Jiupai News: Why do you pay less attention to the giant tree?
Xi Zhinong: I really haven't studied this problem of . Human exploration of nature has never stopped. National Geographic has spent more than 130 years on exploring this unknown world, and the exploration of big trees also began with them. With the experience of our predecessors, why don’t we?
Jiupai News: What do you think is the meaning of shooting giant trees?
Xi Zhinong: does not have our giant tree plan, scientists can only sigh at the tree and can only stand under the tree and look at it. Now with drones, go up and fly. He could personally go up and feel the different gradients of the trees, the different parasitic plants on it, the different sizes of cones, and the different growth conditions, which was unimaginable in the past.Our plan gave scientists wings and allowed them to climb the trees, but there was no such overall arrangement before, and it was unlikely that without the strong technical and security guarantees of the tree climbing team.
【3】It is our mission to promote nature conservation with the power of images
Jiupai News: Can shooting be profitable?
Xi Zhinong: How can make a profit? We still have to attract sponsorships. We didn’t have money when we took the first one, so we took the photo first. It is not called a public welfare act, it is just our mission as an institution. Because of our mission, we use images to promote nature conservation.
Jiupai News: Will shooting feel hard?
Xi Zhinong: How could the word "hard work" be the one who wants to do ? No one invites you, and no one forces you to go. I have been shooting animals for almost 40 years. I have never said the hard work of a single word, and it is meaningless to say it. So who asked you to do it?
Jiupai News: You have photographed many wild animals before. What is the difference between photographing animals and giant trees?
Xi Zhinong: These are two categories of things. Wild animals must show the most touching moment, its peace, its beauty, its agility, its majesty, and so on. That tree is the largest living organism on the earth. The blue whale in the ocean is only 30 meters long. This big tree is seventy or eighty meters long and the redwood is more than 100 meters long. It is the largest living organism on this planet. You can use such a technical means to present it with a photo of it. What an exciting and worth doing.
Jiupai News: What is unique about shooting giant trees compared to other photography themes?
Xi Zhinong: trees are both familiar and unfamiliar to ordinary people. If you want to say familiar things, then you can say that this is the most common thing. Strange means that many people have seen many street trees, trees in communities, trees in parks, trees in temples, and trees in big forests, but how much do they know about trees? In a biological sense, it is a small ecosystem. We use this method to let more public understand forest ecosystem and understand such an amazing giant tree in China.
Jiupai News: Are you shocked when you photograph the giant tree?
Xi Zhinong: There is no doubt that it is such a shocking feeling and power that anyone standing under such a tree that is seventy or eighty meters high.
Jiupai News: Can the waiting photos directly convey this shock?
Xi Zhinong: Have you seen the very high-definition waiting photo we posted on the 720 cloud platform? If you don't watch HD, it doesn't make sense. We do not have the conditions to make one-to-one photos. The giant trees spread on various platforms, and they are compressed, vague, and can't see anything clearly. We can't feel the shock of our waiting photos.
Jiupai News: Do you feel what role does images play in protecting nature now?
Xi Zhinong: is like the result of the giant tree released this time, countless media are forwarding it, this is the power of the image. In the past, I took pictures of golden monkey , Tibetan antelope, green peacock , or snow leopard , if I don’t record it, who knows them? There is a saying that says, "Only by understanding can you care. Only after you have caring can you take action." You don’t understand. Isn’t it just empty talk to protect animals and nature?
Jiupai News Reporter Wang Yiran
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[Source: Jiupai News]
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