Patriarch

This is one of the last, really huge, caoba (Swietenia macrophylla King) trees in the Selva Maya of Quintana Roo. It is growing in the (managed) forest outside of Noh-Bec, one of the ejidos that we have been working with to measure the growth of local timber species (see Selva Maya, Selva Maya II, and Selva Maya III). What is not so apparent in the video is that this majestic tree lost most of it's crown to Hurricane Dean (see Selva Maya Interrupted) - and probably won't be an active member of the forest much longer. [NOTE: I am posting this from Terminal 2 in the Mexico City airport on my way home after a productive (and very fun) trip to Chetumal (thx, Silvia)].