ENTS, Earlier in the post I wrote about a white "spruce". It is a white FIR.
Sorry, Dale > > -------------- Original message -------------- > From: "Dale Luthringer" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > ENTS, > > >From 4/29-5/2/08 I had the privilege of spending 4 whole days in Gettysburg > National Military Park in conjunction with our yearly mandatory training that > was held in the area. Needless to say, once the training sessions were done > in the day, every evening was spent combing the fields and woods of this epic > national battlefield. > > http://www.nps.gov/gett > > “The Battle of Gettysburg was a turning point in the Civil War, the Union > victory in the summer of 1863 that ended General Robert E. Lee's second and > most ambitious invasion of the North. Often referred to as the "High Water > Mark of the Confederacy", it was the war's bloodiest battle with 51,000 > casualties. It also provided President Abraham Lincoln with the setting for > his most famous address.” > http://www.nps.gov/gett/siteindex.htm > > http://www.nps.gov/gett/photosmultimedia/photogallery.htm > > http://www.nps.gov/gett/historyculture/gettysburg-podcast-tours.htm > > The evening of 4/29 was mostly used to get acquainted with the general > topography of the land. I started by first driving from the beginning of the > Picketts Charge area and ending at Plum Run and Big Round Top along South > Confederate Avenue. Just before the road bends to the right towards Plum > Run, I noticed some “odd” pines growing off the south side of the road. > Turns out they were some decent Virginia pine. I never get to see these up > at Cook Forest, so they were quite the pleasure to measure. One not only > turned out to be what I believe is the tallest ENTS documented so far in the > NE, but also a new Pennsylvania state champ at 5.8ft CBH x 94.5ft high x > 31.6ft avg crown for 172 AF Points. > > http://www.nps.gov/ner/pgallerycontent/p/l/20071128100312.jpg > > http://www.nps.gov/archive/gett/getttour/tstops/tstd3-19.htm > > http://www.nps.gov/archive/gett/getttour/tstops/tstd3-20.htm > > Granted, there are very few in the database up here, but at least we’ve got > an idea of what they can do when given ~100 years to grow. An adjacent and > recently cut Virginia pine yielded ~94 rings at 0.6ft up at 1.6ft in > diameter. > > It was also nice to measure a few redbud in the area which were in peak > bloom. This is another species that I never get to see growing naturally in > NW PA, but down in SE PA they are a common component along forest edges. > > The park is actively managing certain areas of the battlefield to return the > land to what they deem was a more period appropriate younger forest. So, the > rings that were documented in this post, were taken directly from these > recently downed trees. It will be apparent that some of these downed trees > actually pre-date the battle of Gettysburg. They were much smaller then, but > many had witnessed the battle that raged around and through them. So, trees > that are over 145 rings, obviously pre-date the battle in 1863. > > A nearby N. red oak, closer to Plum Run was ~123 rings 0.7ft up at 3.3ft > diameter. A recently downed white oak in the area of Seminary Ridge and > Pitzer Woods came in at ~211 rings. > > Tree species noted in the vicinity of Plum Run were as follows: Virginia > pine, redbud, spicebush, black oak, N. red oak, chestnut oak, white oak, > bitternut hickory, shagbark hickory, pignut hickory, E. white pine, E. red > cedar, tuliptree. > > Continuing further down South Confederate Avenue after passing over Plum Run, > a decent stand of tulips emerged near the base of Big Round Top that topped > out in the low 130ft class. > > I then turned down Warren Avenue with Little Round Top on my right with the > Devil’s Den laying out to the front. I stood up on the rocks of the Devils > Den looking down into the Slaughter Pen and attempted the impossible, trying > to imagine what it must have been like for the 1000’s of men who died in this > area attempting to take Little Round Top. I felt a definite sense of some > sort of strong power at this site. This was a very special area. I had this > same feeling years ago when I first looked out from Little Round Top down > into the Devil’s Den on a prior trip back in the mid 1990’s, but this was the > first time I set foot in the Devil’s Den. What a remarkable place. > > http://www.nps.gov/gett/naturescience/geologicformations.htm > > http://www.nps.gov/ner/pgallerycontent/p/l/20071128095538.jpg > > I then headed back up towards Little Round Top for a panoramic view of the > area at dusk. I walked back down the hill a ways towards Warren Avenue and > stumbled upon the site where Colonel Strong Vincent fell from his wounds. > The story of Colonel Vincent and the 83rd Pennsylvania really hit home to me. > This particular unit was formed mainly from men from my home town of Erie, > PA. If you remember other posts where I’ve described measurements taken at > the Erie Cemetery, this is where Col. Vincent was eventually buried. > > http://www.nps.gov/gett/naturescience/scenicvistas.htm > > http://www.nps.gov/gett/parknews/gettysburg-podcast-tours.htm > > > The first day’s tree tally follows: > > Species CBH Height Comments > > Black oak 7.3 92 > Chestnut oak 6.9 97.7 > E. red cedar 3.6 67.9 > E. white pine 8.3 106.6 > E. white pine 8.3 110.8 > Redbud 2.6 23.1 > Shagbark hickory N/A 92 > Sycamore 8.7 72.2 > Tuliptree 7.9 115.2 > Tuliptree 9.2 122 > Tuliptree 9.4 130.5 > Tuliptree 9.2 130.9 > Virginia pine 5.8 94.5 NE height record, new PA > state champ, 39 47.071N x 77 14.997W > White oak 12.9 86.4 > white oak 15.1(2x) 111 > > Then next day, 4/30/08, I had very little time to explore, so I decided I’d > try to see some of the trees in the Gettysburg National Cemetery. An older > gentlemen I met in the Devil’s Den suggested I see the large tuliptree that > was growing there. The dimensions he described seemed too good to be true, > but when I got there, I was not disappointed. Eventhough time was limited it > was very productive. As soon as you walk through the gate, you’re greeted by > a bald cypress at 10ft CBH x 81.6ft high. This WAS the largest I’ve observed > in PA, but later came across a really big one for up here… Just inside and > to the right of the gate a nice balsam fir and white spruce were growing > together. The balsam fir was the largest I’ve come across at 8.3ft > circumference at 6.9ft (above the lower limb which magnifies its CBH) and > 9.6ft CBH at the waist at 2.9ft up. The height was 91.8ft high (tallest > known in PA) with a crown spread of 38.2ft for a total of 217 AF points if > the 9.6ft girth is > used. That makes it one of the largest documented in PA. The adjacent white > spruce was 10ft CBH x 88.2ft high x 45.3ft crown spread for 220 AF Points. A > new species for Scott’s PA Champion Tree list, hence a new state champion as > well. > > I then turned my attention to the north and just out of site of the first > bald cypress was another. This one was no slouch at 15.7ft CBH x 97.6ft high > x 56.1ft crown spread for 300 AF Points, another new state champ! > > Just beyond the cypress, the large tuliptree loomed about 150 yards out. It > was getting towards dusk, so I had to work quickly before I lost the light. > The highest part of it’s top was blown out, but still stood at a very > respectable 18.8ft CBH x 116.7ft high x 98.1ft crown spread for 367 AF > Points. Not a new champ, but definitely the largest tulip I’ve had the > pleasure of measuring so far in PA. > > The tree tally for 4/30/08 follows: > > Species CBH Height Comments > > Bald cypress 10 81.6 > Bald cypress 15.7 97.6 new state champ, 300 AF Points, 39 > 49.107N x 77 13.930W > Balsam fir 9.6 91.8 new PA height champ > Tuliptree 18.8 116.7 39 49.142N x 77 13.922W > White fir 10 88.2 new NE height champ, new state > champ, 220 AF Points, 39 49.054N x 77 13.921W > > Next, I found my way to the Pennsylvania Monument after dark and started > searching the numerous bronze tablets attached to this mammoth structure in > hopes of finding relatives. Sure enough, found two relatives on my mothers > side that fought here, one from the 119th PA Infantry, Co I, and the other in > the 147th PA Infantry, Co F. I was also greeted by a friendly ranger who > wondered what the heck I was doing out there well after dark, scouring the > monument with a small pen flashlight… > > http://www.nps.gov/ner/pgallerycontent/p/l/20061206120211.jpg > > The third day, 5/1/08, I decided to take some friends of mine who also have > the same appreciation for unique forests. One I’ve mentioned in earlier > posts from time to time, Bill Sweeney, the naturalist supervisor at > Jacobsburg EE Center, who has intimate knowledge of the trees in this park. > He mentioned that Mary Byrd Davis had noted old growth in areas of the park. > It was his intention to show us some of these areas as well as other > noteworthy forests. Bill continues to amaze me with his eye for big, tall > and old trees. Our first stop was the infamous Plum Run. We got out of the > vehicle and headed west along the northern edge of the stream on a path that > heads up the hill back towards the area where I earlier measured the nice > Virginia pines. Along the run and heading up the hill we noted a number of > recently felled trees. A white oak went to ~112 rings, another white oak > went to ~225 rings at 0.8ft up at 3.3ft diameter. An old chestnut oak on the > hilltop went to ~182 rin > gs 0.7ft up at 2.8ft diameter. Other species in the area were likely old as > well, but were not yet felled. Visual age estimates would easily put 8 > species over 150 years old in the Plum Run and Big Round Top areas: > > Species Visual Age Estimate Site > > White oak ~225 Plum Run > Chestnut oak ~200 Plum Run > N. red oak ~200 Big Round Top > Tuliptree ~200 Big Round Top > Black gum ~200 Big Round Top > White ash ~200 Big Round Top > Black oak ~175 Plum Run > E. white pine ~150 Big Round Top > Pignut hickory ~150 Plum Run > > > It wasn’t long before Bill led us into some incredible hickory trees going up > the path from Plum Run to the hilltop. About halfway up, hickories started > creeping up in the “respectable” height level. Further up, a few were > downright impressive. The problem, is that I’m not sure of their ID. My > initial reaction was that they were pignut hickories, but after talking with > a few other ENTS on the subject, now I’m not so sure. There were no leaves > on the trees since it was early May, and the area was devoid of good nut > samples. All I had to go on was bark, and I just saw more pignut hickory > character on them than anything. The jury is still out, some say they’re > bitternut, others suggest they may be red hickory, but until I can attain a > nut sample, I won’t be 100% sure. So, the long and short of it is, I’m going > with my initial call as probably pignut, and won’t be surprised if I’m proved > otherwise once more evidence is gathered. But still, they’re heights were > impressive, be i > t bitternut, pignut or red hickory, at 10.2ft CBH x 136.8ft high and the > other at 7.5ft CBH x 137.9ft high. This will be a new NE height record for > either of these three species once nuts are attained. Both trees grow along > the path not more than 75 yards from each other. > > http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=19 > > http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=18 > > http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/syllabus2/factsheet.cfm?ID=826 > > http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/frame.htm > > > > Bill still had some nice stuff in store for us. He then led us on a trail > that works its way behind Big Round Top. Along the trail we found some > really odd looking nuts on the ground. Thought on it a little while, then it > hit us… Kentucky coffee tree! Cool, I never measured these in the woods > before, only saw them in yard settings previously. Then another nice little > surpise, a small patch of pawpaw, another new species to add to the list: > > http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=155 > > The tree tally for 5/1/08 follows: > > Species CBH Height Comments > > Kentucky coffee tree 4.8 96.1+ 39 47.090N x 77 14.366W > N. red oak N/A 96.1+ > Pawpaw 1.1 34+ 39 47.191N x 77 14.287W > Pignut hickory N/A 93.1+ > Pignut hickory? 10.2 136.8 39 46.989N x 77 14.726W, tac > 795 > Pignut hickory? 7.5 137.9 39 46.989N x 77 14.726W, > possible new NE height record, tac 794 > Tuliptree N/A 135.1 > White ash 13.2 114.1+ > White oak N/A 111.1+ > > > The Rucker Index for Gettysburg National Military Park follows: > > Species CBH Height Comments > RI > > Pignut hickory? 7.5 137.9 tallest documented NE once > ID confirmed 108.12 > Tuliptree 9.2 130.9 > White ash 13.2 114.1+ 12x100 > White oak N/A 111.1+ > E. white pine 8.3 110.8 > Chestnut oak 6.9 97.7 > Kentucky coffeetree 4.8 96.1+ > N. red oak N/A 96.1+ > Virginia pine 5.8 94.5 tallest documented > Northeast, 172 AF Points, new PA state champ > Black oak 7.3 92 > Shagbark hickory N/A 92 > > With more searching, I’m sure we should get all ten species over 100ft. The > RI for Gettysburg is just for starters. I barely scratched the surface in > terms of its tall tree potential. > > I highly encourage all Ents to visit this site if you find yourself to be in > the area. If not for the exceptional history of the area, then definitely > for the hidden big & tall tree records. Besides, we’ll need someone to try > and collect nut samples if they’re in the vicinity of Plum Run. I don’t have > a clue when my next opportunity to visit that site will be, but the GPS > coordinates given above should put you easily within 50ft of their specific > trees. > > Dale > > > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Eastern Native Tree Society http://www.nativetreesociety.org You are subscribed to the Google Groups "ENTSTrees" group. 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