The world's oldest living tree is "Methuselah." The tree's exact age is unknown, but experts believe it has been alive for close to 5,000 years, the U.S. Forest Service told USA TODAY in an email.

The only certainty is that Currey did have permission to cut down what was discovered to be the oldest tree on record. Now known as Prometheus, the tree was found to be nearly 5,000 years old.

Northland is also home to one of the oldest privet trees in the country, with a tree at Edmonds Ruins, near Kerikeri, possibly be more than 100 years old. However, its days are numbered.