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Converse Basin Grove
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<p>Converse Basin Grove is a grove of <a href="/facts/Sequoiadendron_giganteum/lh4ApHTz">giant sequoia (<i>Sequoiadendron giganteum</i>)</a> trees in the <a href="/facts/Giant_Sequoia_National_Monument/NTtvlwLR">Giant Sequoia National Monument</a> in the <a href="/facts/Sierra_Nevada_(U.S.)/tKcI8PeH">Sierra Nevada</a>, in <a href="/facts/Fresno_County%2c_California/Pca3bSkn">Fresno County, California</a>, 5 miles (8 km) north of <a href="/facts/General_Grant_Grove/d2N433Cs">General Grant Grove</a>, just outside <a href="/facts/Kings_Canyon_National_Park/sktmqCqw">Kings Canyon National Park</a>. Once home to the largest population of giant sequoias in the world, covering 4,600 acres (19 km2) acres,: 138 the grove was extensively logged by the <a href="/facts/Hume-Bennett_Lumber_Company/kKEALlFL">Sanger Lumber Company</a> at the turn of the 20th century. The <a href="/facts/Clearcutting/vW2txuH3">clearcutting</a> of 8,000 giant sequoias, many of which were over 2,000 years old, resulted in the destruction of the <a href="/facts/Old-growth_forest/kffLtWkA">old-growth forest</a> ecosystem. </p><p>The Converse Basin Grove has not recovered despite attempts at <a href="/facts/Restoration_ecology/gJ6wT9Gg">restoration</a> in the 20th century. The planting of single-species <a href="/facts/Tree_plantation/D7gHocJ7">conifer plantations</a> and the practice of <a href="/facts/Fire_ecology/zABpjqff">fire exclusion</a> has resulted in two high intensity wildfires since the end of the logging era, further degrading the giant sequoia habitat. Despite these challenges, the grove offers opportunities for studying forest resilience and restoration efforts.: 36, 45 </p><p>Converse Basin Grove is home to several notable giant sequoia trees, including the <a href="/facts/Boole_(tree)/HoPSCGqD">Boole Tree</a>, the sixth largest of its kind in the world, and the <a href="/facts/General_Noble_(tree)/9C8cAGEI">Chicago Stump</a>, the remains of the <a href="/facts/General_Noble_(tree)/9C8cAGEI">General Noble Tree</a> which was cut down for the 1893 <a href="/facts/World%2527s_Columbian_Exposition/L2EMHI1z">World's Columbian Exposition</a>. Another notable tree in the grove is the Muir Snag, which is believed to have been 3,500 years old at the time of its death, making it one of the oldest known giant sequoias. </p>