ENTS,
Across its path in Massachusetts, the Connecticut River Valley has deep,
rich soils and sufficient moisture to grow large trees. The sycamore, eastern
cottonwood, silver maple, sugar maple, and n. red oak all reach large size in
the valley corridor. Many other species do quite well too, however, I've never
struck it rich when it comes to tree heights in the valley the way I have in
the Berkshire region just to the west. I'm unsure of why unless it has to do
with the added level of protection and abundant moisture that the deep
Berkshire ravines provide.
Yesterday I spent a couple of hours on Mount Tom State Reservation and
succeeded in confirming a large, three-stemmed white pine to 141.0 feet in
height. The white pine is the tallest ENTS-measured tree in the Connecticut
River Valley region that I've measured in Massachusetts. New Hampshire has
taller pines in the valley corridor in at least two places.
The only competition the white pine has in the valley region is a tall
tuliptree in Robinson State Park, which I currently list at 140.9 feet.
However, over several independent measurements, I do not consistently get
heights over 140 for the tulip, so 140.9 may be generous. I hope to remeasure
the tuliptree later this fall. For the present, I'm leaving its height at 140.9
feet.
I can say with confidence that the 140-foot height threshold has definitely
been passed with the Mt Tom white pine. About 10 or 11 other pines on Mount Tom
are above 130 feet and one white pine in Easthampton may now be 140.
Regardless, trees in this height class are extremely rare in the valley
corridor, and as of now, the Mount Tom tree is the valley height champion.
Mount Tom's RI now stands at 115.7 and I'm sure will rise with further
searching and measuring.
Bob
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Eastern Native Tree Society http://www.nativetreesociety.org
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