Sounds very cool. Southern Red Oak- is that Quercus falcata, the one I call Spanish Oak?
--- On Sun, 1/10/10, pabigtrees <[email protected]> wrote: From: pabigtrees <[email protected]> Subject: [ENTS] Found an old remnant in an odd place To: "ENTSTrees" <[email protected]> Date: Sunday, January 10, 2010, 9:28 AM ENTS Yesterday My son and I attended the annual winter survival campout with the boyscouts. It was held, as it has been for many many years, in the "woods" in Tinicum Delaware Co. within sight of the Philadelphia airport. Tinicum was first settled by the Swedes in 1643, so the area has a long history. The Lenni Lenape also lived in this area before that. I was curious about the name "woods" that my friend used for the site. He and another father grew up there, and said it was always refered to as the woods. Upon arrival, I was astonished to see the remnant of an old forest in amongst the row homes and other buildings. There was no grass on the ground, just leaves. There were hundreds of old beat up trees throughout the woods, typical characteristics for old trees. Lots of dead wood, broken limbs, huge healed over knobs from old branches, giant cavities the boys could fit into. What also amazed me was the inventory. White Oak Black Oak Red Oak Black Walnut Willow Oak Sweet Gum Southern Red Oak Beech Pin Oak Black Cherry I am guessing this is a patch that was saved at some point. Not original timber, but close to it. Most trees were over ten feet in cbh. The current town of Tinicum sprang up here when Westinghouse built a factory down by the Delaware River. The "woods" was set aside by Westinghouse for use of the boyscouts in 1937. A very nice cabin was erected on the site for the boys, and it is still functioning today. I hope to return to the site soon to do some measuring, as I think we may have a contender for a state champion Southern Red Oak. I will get some pictures too. I think the trees may be around 200 years old or so. Scott
