I agree, that was a very interesting report, thank you. Kirk Johnson
From: "Edward Frank" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Reply-To: [email protected] Date: Thu, 16 Oct 2008 15:51:44 -0400 To: <[email protected]> Subject: [ENTS] Re: Gettysburg National Military Park Dale, An excellent repot on the park. When I get it posted to the website I will forward the link to Gary Adelman and Tim Smith (I mentioned them in regard to the battlefield tours before. I don't know what else to say about the report but fantastic. Ed Join me in the Eastern Native Tree Society at http://www.nativetreesociety.org and in the Primal Forests - Ancient Trees Community at: http://primalforests.ning.com/ ----- Original Message ----- From: Dale Luthringer <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Cc: 'Luthringer, Dale (work)' <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2008 8:38 PM Subject: [ENTS] Gettysburg National Military Park 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 ³The 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.² 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 ³odd² 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 we¹ve 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 Devil¹s 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 1000¹s 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 Devil¹s Den on a prior trip back in the mid 1990¹s, but this was the first time I set foot in the Devil¹s 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 I¹ve 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 day¹s 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 I¹d try to see some of the trees in the Gettysburg National Cemetery. An older gentlemen I met in the Devil¹s 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, you¹re greeted by a bald cypress at 10ft CBH x 81.6ft high. This WAS the largest I¹ve observed in PA, but later came across a really big one for up hereŠ 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 I¹ve 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 Scott¹s 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 it¹s 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 I¹ve 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 flashlightŠ 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 I¹ve 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 rings 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 wasn¹t 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 ³respectable² height level. Further up, a few were downright impressive. The problem, is that I¹m 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 I¹m 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 they¹re bitternut, others suggest they may be red hickory, but until I can attain a nut sample, I won¹t be 100% sure. So, the long and short of it is, I¹m going with my initial call as probably pignut, and won¹t be surprised if I¹m proved otherwise once more evidence is gathered. But still, they¹re heights were impressive, be it 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 usŠ 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, I¹m 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, we¹ll need someone to try and collect nut samples if they¹re in the vicinity of Plum Run. I don¹t 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. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
