Children find climbing the massive, low swooping branches irresistible. Another excellent example can be seen from the boardwalk of the outdoor orangutan forest in the zoo's Trail of Vines. This provides the visitor a good look at the cones developing in an upright fashion along the mature branches. The name Cedrus comes from Kedros, the ancient Greek word given to a resinous tree. The wood of deodar cedar is stronger than most conifers.
Conifers are the world's tallest, oldest and most massive trees.
However, most of these trees no longer exist. In addition to wood products, conifers are used for turpentine, rosin, pine straw mulch, garland, wreaths, Christmas trees and urban plantings. Our reliance on these wood products makes conifers the most important and most exploited timber and pulp source. Old growth forests are quickly disappearing. They are a reservoir of biological diversity that we have yet to totally understand.