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TOPIC: Old Maid's Woods
http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees/browse_thread/thread/f3bce68491f93914?hl=en
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== 1 of 3 ==
Date: Thurs, Nov 8 2007 2:24 pm
From: Dave Hilfinger
This past weekend I visited Old Maid's Woods which is owned by the
town of Schenectady, NY. A 21 acre old growth forest remains just
off of I-890. I must say that it is the most beautiful old growth
forest I have seen so far in my travels (Zoar Valley, Green Lakes
State Park, Lisha Kill Natural Area, areas in Vermont). The most
surprising thing I found was a rich understory growth of American
Chestnut! There were at least a few trees with a 5-7" dbh and a
35+ foot height. I was astounded with all of the sprouts and the few
large specimens. I have never seen such a concentration of A.
Chestnuts anywhere! I did not see any dead trees, just young healthy
ones. In fact, on the larger specimens I observed no blight or
reminents of blight. I don't know how the trees obtained a foothold
in this small forest, why no trees show signs of the blight, or why
there are no dead mother trees. Unfortunately I failed to bring a
camera with me. Anyone living in the Albany area should definitely
visit this beautiful site.
== 2 of 3 ==
Date: Thurs, Nov 8 2007 2:48 pm
From: edfrank@comcast.net
Dave,
Thanks for the report. It is always interesting to get descriptions
of new places. There is an amazing number of American Chestnuts in
the Allegheny National Forest in an area called Chestnut Ridge. It
is just east of a campground above the Kinzua Reservoir. These were
all young trees similar to what you describe.
Ed Frank
== 3 of 3 ==
Date: Thurs, Nov 8 2007 3:18 pm
From: dbhguru
Dave
Several years ago, I visited Old Maid Woods. Neat place. I collected
lost of measurements, but can't locate them. In the adjacent 2nd
growth area, I got 126 feet out a black locust - tallest I've
measured in the Northeast.
Bob
==============================================================================
TOPIC: Old Maid's Woods
http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees/browse_thread/thread/f3bce68491f93914?hl=en
==============================================================================
== 1 of 3 ==
Date: Thurs, Nov 8 2007 6:43 pm
From: grousedog
Bob,
I noticed that most of the black locusts below the steppe the old
growth forest is on have been blown down. Someone had sawed threw
one
of the locusts and I counted around 100 rings. A few impressive
locust trees still stand but most have been blown down. I also
noticed a blown down oak in the old growth that had been harvested
for
wood - there was no tree left except for the shattered stump. There
are impressive white pines and healthy hemlocks, as well as
impressive
pitch pine, sugar and red maple, black and red oak, and other
species
among the forest. Does anyone have an idea how the Chestnut thrive
there?
Dave
== 2 of 3 ==
Date: Thurs, Nov 8 2007 7:26 pm
From: Randy Brown
From what I've seen, the sprouts seem to be fairly shade tolerant.
In Ohio I've found them most often on steep southern facing slopes
with oak/hickory in the canopy, and the dryness keeping the rest of
the competition down. Once it gets wet enough for maples, tupelo,
and
tulip trees I don't tend to find them.
== 3 of 3 ==
Date: Thurs, Nov 8 2007 9:06 pm
From: James Parton
Dave,
It sounds like a nice place. I would like to visit it as well. I
have
a special interest in the American Chestnut & this place sounds
like
quite a find. I have found areas around here in WNC that has
substantual numbers of American Chestnut but almost all show
considerable effects of the blight. Maybe you should report this
find
to TACF. They are looking for nice chestnuts to include in their
research to restore the tree to the forests. They could pollinate
the
trees or collect pollen from them to pollinate others. The ACCF also
does work on the American Chestnut. Did any of the Old Maids
Chestnuts
have burrs? Viable nuts?
I myself went looking around the woods near my home for American
Chestnut trees. I go everywhere else & often forget about the
forest
closest to home. I found their close relative the Chinquapin.
James Parton.
==============================================================================
TOPIC: Old Maid's Woods
http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees/browse_thread/thread/f3bce68491f93914?hl=en
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== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Fri, Nov 9 2007 5:33 am
From: pabigtrees
ENTS
Chestnuts can grow unaffected by blight for years. When the bark
starts to seperate in the older stages, it is believed the blight
then
gains access and kills the tree. Here in SE Pa we had one that was
just over 10" dbh and 67' tall that was producing nuts,
although they
seemed infertile. A hunter climbed the tree with a climbing tree
stand and punctured the bark in several places. This allowed easy
entry for the blight.
http://www.nativetreesociety.org/fieldtrips/us_east/penna/se_pa_chestnut/se_pa_american_chestnut.htm
It is pretty much dead now, but it did callous over the wound the
first year, but it could not win the fight. I think you will find
Chestnuts growing in alot of places, but it is temporary. Carl found
an 82.5' tall specimen in Cook Forest, so they are out there.
Scott
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TOPIC: Old Maid's Woods
http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees/browse_thread/thread/f3bce68491f93914?hl=en
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== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Sat, Nov 10 2007 3:54 pm
From: "Neil Pederson"
Dave, ENTS,
Old Maid's Woods is a special place. I was lucky to be there on
Bob's visit
and even luckier to gain permission to core the black oaks - they
are truly
impressive in terms of girth and volume for the Albany, NY region.
The ages
aren't too bad as well. Like Lisha Kill, the other nice nature
preserve in
the area, the oaks at Old Maid's Woods date to the early 1800s. The
sizes
they've attained in the last two centuries are nice.
Here is a trip report from the NY OG Forest Association [the age
estimate
for the black oaks on the following page are incorrect. 202 yrs is
the
oldest age I have for those trees]:
http://www.championtrees.org/oldgrowth/surveys/OldMaidsWoods.htm
neil
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