South Park Mall, Charlotte, NC

South Park Mall, Charlotte, NC

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TOPIC: Patch of woods
http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees/browse_thread/thread/8df3bfc55a3a1075?hl=en
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== 1 of 2 ==
Date: Thurs, Mar 6 2008 9:40 pm
From: JamesRobertSmith

As a letter carrier, I see a lot of nice trees in my part of
Charlotte, NC. I heard about one place too late to go see it.
Supposedly, there were some champion-caliber trees in there before the
bulldozers came. It was about a block of green near South Park Mall
(Charlotte's largest and most uspcale mall). Most of the block is now
stores and condos. However, someone noticed that there was an
abandoned slave cemetery on the property and the State declared a
section of the land off-limits to development. Apparently forever. So
you have a patch of woods (seems to be about one acre in size) between
the street and the development with some extremely nice trees. Since
it's a slave cemetery, then I would assume the larger trees to be
pretty old. If I have the time I will wander into this patch of green
on Saturday and take some photos. As I'm still a novice on tree ID,
I'll need some help in naming the species. Almost all of the trees are
hardwoods. Some are pretty impressive, but I was told that there were
some EXTREMELY huge trees that were cut down to make way for the
building project. By the time I found out about them, it was too late
to go and take photos. And I was driving past it every day without
much more than a glance.

Alas.

== 2 of 7 ==
Date: Sat, Mar 8 2008 2:17 pm
From: JamesRobertSmith

Well, the patch of woods proved to have some worthy trees!

Here's a shot of the biggest one (I'm pretty sure it's a double-
stemmed poplar).

More after I upload the photos:

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g295/jamesrobertsmith/UrbanTrees09.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g295/jamesrobertsmith/UrbanTrees06.jpg

== 6 of 7 ==
Date: Sat, Mar 8 2008 7:14 pm
From: James Parton

James S,

Though small, that is an awesome patch of woods. Though it may be a
double-trunked tree the base looks to be at least 16 feet cbh. Did you
see any sizeable pines in there?

All trees are " worthy " just some are outstanding.

James P.

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TOPIC: A patch of old urban trees
http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees/browse_thread/thread/9d6f57f021e06434?hl=en
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== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Sat, Mar 8 2008 2:43 pm
From: JamesRobertSmith

Well, I was able to wander into that patch of old trees on my route
today. From what I've been able to gather, it was spared from being
bulldozed because someone noticed that it was the site of a slave
cemetery. The right folk fought the developers, had the land declared
some kind of historic site, and thus the trees have been spared.

I had noticed for a long time that there are some big trees in there.
Not least because one of the trees visible from the street is a bottle-
shaped poplar large at the base which quickly tapers. Looking at the
grove, I could tell that there were some even larger trees partially
hidden.

So, today, on my lunch break, I took my camera and wandered in there.
I should have taken my tripod, but I didn't and had to make do by
finding sapling and bushes on which to balance my camera when I wanted
to put myself in the photo for size reference. There were some very
big trees in the grove, especially one poplar which appears to be
fused from two or three trees. Its circumference is ridiculous at
breast height, and I'll return to record it as soon as I can.

Here's a brief photo album of my trip today:

http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/562722106InaBER

== 2 of 2 ==
Date: Sun, Mar 9 2008 6:17 pm
From: JamesRobertSmith

Yes, lots of invasives. Especially ivy and various shrubs which I
suspect are of Asian origin.

I'm going to try to get a circumference tomorrow for that fused tree.
(It may be as many as three tress fused together.)

== 4 of 10 ==
Date: Mon, Mar 10 2008 2:20 pm
From: JamesRobertSmith

Here's a video of me walking around the base of the tree:

http://outdoors.webshots.com/video/3007201530080932916hZauoo

And another one viewing the tree top to base:

http://outdoors.webshots.com/video/3007201530080932916hZauoo

== 5 of 10 ==
Date: Mon, Mar 10 2008 4:38 pm
From: JamesRobertSmith

Stitched view of the tree. Atypical tree with strange symmetry. The
CBH was an amazing 18 feet and three inches!!

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g295/jamesrobertsmith/UrbanTrees010.jpg

== 2 of 3 ==
Date: Mon, Mar 10 2008 7:03 pm
From: JamesRobertSmith

The cbh on this one ended up being an amazing 18 feet three inches. I
was stunned. Yes, it might be a fusion, but I was still very
impressed.

== 3 of 3 ==
Date: Mon, Mar 10 2008 7:47 pm
From: James Parton

James,

Wow! That is nearly 6 feet in diameter! Awesome!

James P.

== 2 of 2 ==
Date: Tues, Mar 11 2008 3:53 pm
From: JamesRobertSmith

I've visited the Sag Branch poplar. It took me four tries (I've
written about my various screw-ups in locating it). But I finally
located it. What a grand tree!

I went back to see my personal find again today. It's only across the
street from where most of my route is located. I need to measure about
three more trees in the grove, especially the second-largest tree
which is also a poplar and a well-formed old tree of no little mass.

JRS.

== 2 of 3 ==
Date: Wed, Mar 12 2008 7:33 pm
From: JamesRobertSmith

I think that's a good idea, as a lot of champion-caliber trees are in
urban areas where they've been growing in yards, parks, cemeteries,
etc. for hundreds of years.

== 3 of 3 ==
Date: Wed, Mar 12 2008 9:22 pm
From: James Parton

Matthew, ENTS.

I think an urban tree section on the website is a good idea.
Mentioning Cemeteries, my fiancee' Joy checked out a 150 year old
cemetery at Calvary Episcopal Church in Fletcher NC this afternoon.
She took a few photos and by the looks of it there are some really
nice trees there. I wonder if Will has visited it? I see no entries
for it on the ENTS website. I will check it out and do a report on it
when time allows.

James Parton

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