Dale,
Excellent summary. Impressive array of statistics. Cemetery Run is impressive. I expect that you'll eventually nudge the RI to 130. Pennsylvania rules the Northeast. Bob ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dale Luthringer" <[email protected]> To: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], "Dale Luthringer (work)" <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, October 31, 2009 1:12:17 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: [ENTS] Cemetery Run (Greendale Cemetery) - Meadville, PA (Part1) ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Dale Luthringer < [email protected] > Date: Sat, Oct 31, 2009 at 12:53 AM Subject: Cemetery Run (Greendale Cemetery) - Meadville, PA To: [email protected] , [email protected] , [email protected] , [email protected] , "Luthringer, Dale (work)" < [email protected] >, [email protected] , [email protected] ENTS, On mulitple trips from January through March 2009, I embarked on recording an exceptional drainage called Cemetery Run within the Greendale Cemetery, on the extreme eastern edge of Meadville, Crawford County, in Northwestern Pennsylvania. It was exceptional in that it was not only a new old growth find, but this steep multi-spurred drainage harbored some new PA & NE US tree records. Here's a background info link to the Greendale Cemetery: http://www.greendalecemetery.org/index.aspx Here's a history link to the cemetery: http://www.greendalecemetery.org/history.aspx I've attached a map of Meadville & Cemetery Run and an elevation profile of the surveyed area. There is a maintained trail coming in from the western, or cemetery side of the stream that stays on the stream's western side. If you explore the eastern side of the drainage, you will find an old trail that has not been maintained for quite a long time. Here's a link to their cemetery map: http://www.greendalecemetery.org/map.aspx and a link to their cemetery picture gallery: http://www.greendalecemetery.org/photoGallery.aspx The local history at the cemetery is enough to draw one to the area, but what really caught my eye was the steep drainage due north of RT77 that I spead past on a previous road trip several years ago. It was quite awhile before I took the opportunity to explore this drainage little further. I know very little about the land aquisition details around the cemetery, but it appears that virtually the entire ravine system is currently owned by the cemetery. After an intriguing conversation with the current superintendent, James Vogan (29 years of service!), it appears they will never log Cemetery Run, although they've had repeated offers to do so. This is very good news, because a large portion of it is primary and secondary old growth forest. I'd argue that small portions of it have never been logged. This would most likely be the smaller eastern side drainages including the ridgetop, with some of the valley being selectively logged sometime since the inception of Meadville in the late 1700's. I was able to catalogue 28.9 acres of old growth forest, which encompasses virtually all of the eastern side of the ravine's ancient hemlock stand, and a decent portion of the west side of the ravine that butts up against the edge of the cemetery. Mr. Vogan was extremely kind in giving me permission to core some trees. Here's some of the preliminary results: Species ring count Comments black gum 292 to solid center, 6.5ft circumference, 4.4ft up from base 6.5ft CBH x 108.9ft high 41 38.857N x 80 7.924W black oak 147 at 7.4ft circumference, 3.7ft up from base 7.3ft CBH x 84.1ft high 41 38.738N x 80 7.958W chestnut oak 289 to center at 8.3ft circumference, 5.2ft up from base 8.3ft CBH x 99.1+ft high 41 38.647N x 80 7.985W E. hemlock 224 to punky center at 7.7ft circumference, 3.7ft up from base 7.6ft CBH x 98ft high 41 38.751N x 80 7.974W E. hemlock 243 at 9.7ft circumference, 5.6ft up from base 10.1ft CBH x 106.9ft high 41 38.915N x 80 7.969W So, we easily have three different species that predate the founding of Meadville, with the oldest core from the black gum going back at least to 1717. Most of the oldest hemlock and oaks were found near or at the ridge top interface. The old black gum was found near the top of one of the eastern side drainages. Other probable ancient species observed but not cored: Species Visual Age Estimate on the low end black gum 300 chestnut oak 300 E. hemlock 250 white oak 250 scarlet oak 200 cucumbertree 150 N. red oak 150 slippery elm 150 sycamore 150 tuliptree 150 Am. beech 125 E. white pine 125 sycamore 125 Here's the site's tree tally: Species CBH Height Comments Am. beech N/A 97.3 Am. beech 8.5 102.1+ Am. beech 7.7 103 Am. beech N/A 109.1 Am. beech 6.9 111.1+ Am. beech 8.2 111.1+ Am. beech N/A 113 Am. beech N/A 114.1 Am. beech 7.6 123.1 41 38.880N x 80 7.990W black cherry N/A 110.8 black cherry N/A 112.2 black cherry 6.5 114.2 black cherry N/A 116.6 black cherry N/A 123 black gum 2.6 72.5 black gum 6.5 108.9 292 rings black gum 5.5 112.1 tallest documented NE US, 41 38.863N x 80 7.932W black oak 4.8 81.1+ black oak 7.3 84.1 147 rings black oak 6.3 87.1+ chestnut oak 10.3 77.7+ center rot, top blown out chestnut oak 8.3 99.1+ 289 rings cucumbertree 7.5 118.2 E. hemlock 7.6 98 224 rings E. hemlock N/A 105.7 E. hemlock 10.1 106.9 243 rings E. hemlock 7.2 112.8 E. hemlock N/A 113.4 E. hemlock 11.2 114.7 E. hemlock 10.4(2x) 117.1 E. hemlock 10.2 117.1 E. hemlock 7 118.1 E. hemlock N/A 118.7 E. hemlock 8.4 119.6 E. hemlock 6.8 120.6 E. hemlock N/A 121.6 E. hemlock N/A 123.2 E. hemlock N/A 124.2 E. hemlock N/A 124.7 E. hemlock 8.3 125.9 E. hemlock 7.2 127.6 E. hemlock N/A 130.4 E. hemlock N/A 130.4 E. hemlock 7.5 133.3 41 38.810N x 80 8.040W E. hemlock N/A 134.1 E. hemlock 8.8 136.3 tallest known hemlock in western PA west of Cook Forest 41 38.800N x 80 8.036W E. white pine N/A 110.2 E. white pine 8.5 112.8 E. white pine 7.5 113.1 E. white pine 6.9 119.1 E. white pine 8.2 127.1+ E. white pine 6.5 129.8 E. white pine N/A 132.3 E. white pine 9.9 134.6 N. red oak 11.7 90.1+ N. red oak N/A 98.3 N. red oak N/A 101 N. red oak 9.5 104.3 N. red oak 11 108.1+ N. red oak 8.9 109.4+ N. red oak 10.9 110.2 N. red oak 10.4 114.1+ N. red oak N/A 114.3 N. red oak N/A 114.7 N. red oak 6.8 115.6 pignut hickory 4.3 109.6 red maple N/A 95.3 red maple N/A 110.4 red maple 8.6 111.1+ red maple 7 114.1+ red maple 9 119.5 red maple 8.5 123.7 41 38.804N x 80 8.050W scarlet oak 7.8 87.1 would likely push 200+ years old burly knots, staghead branching slippery elm 3.1 66.1+ slippery elm 8.1 131.5 tallest known NE US, 41 38.654N x 80 8.030W sugar maple N/A 116.8 sugar maple 6.4 117.8 sugar maple 7.2 119.1 sycamore N/A 117.8 sycamore 11.2 121.9 sycamore N/A 122.9 sycamore 10.2 127.4 sycamore 13.3 132.1 41 38.586N x 80 8.068W tuliptree N/A 100.3 tuliptree N/A 102.3 tuliptree N/A 110.6 tuliptree N/A 116.1 tuliptree 8.4 122.6 tuliptree N/A 125.5 tuliptree N/A 129.5 tuliptree N/A 129.5 tuliptree 9.1 133.6 tuliptree N/A 133.8 tuliptree 9.6 146.6 41 38.663N x 80 8.021W white ash N/A 109.8 white ash N/A 114.3 white ash 5.3 116.2 white ash N/A 117.8 white ash 5.7 119.5 white ash N/A 121.9 white ash 6.1 122.3 white oak 14.3 77.3 'Gamble Oak' in cemetery white oak N/A 95.8 white oak 9.2 96.1+ white oak 8.9 102.1+ white oak 7.3 112 witch hazel 1.4 27.6 yellow birch 5 108.1 tallest known in PA, possible NE height record 41 38.621N x 80 8.019W Cemetery Run Rucker Index = 129.23 Species CBH Height Comments tuliptree 9.6 146.6 E. hemlock 8.8 136.3 E. white pine 9.9 134.6 sycamore 13.3 132.1 12x100 slippery elm 8.1 131.5 tallest known NE red maple 8.5 123.7 Am. beech 7.6 123.1+ black cherry N/A 123 white ash 6.1 122.3 sugar maple 7.2 119.1 That puts Cemetery Run as the 5th highest PA RI recorded site. Here's PA's Top 10: Pennsylvania Rucker Index Site Comparison Site Rucker Index Cook Forest State Park 137.38 Fairmont Park 132.27 McConnells Mill State Park 130.85 Clarion River 129.72 Cemetery Run-Meadville, PA 129.23 Ridley Creek State Park 128.3 Swarthmore College 127.55 Wintergreen Gorge 127.53 Ricketts Glen State Park 126.29 Valley Forge National Park 123.83 Other species observed but not measured: yew-probable escape from cemetery Invasive species: myrtle, honeysuckle, Norway maple I've attached a number of pics as well. It is a very interesting site. If you happen to be in Meadville, and have an extra hour to spend, take a short drive over to the Greendale Cemetery. You will NOT be dissapointed! Dale P.S. Part 2 will have a few more pics attached. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Eastern Native Tree Society http://www.nativetreesociety.org Send email to [email protected] Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees?hl=en To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
