Highbanks Metro Park is a strip of undeveloped land located
between
the Olentangy River and a recently suburbanized stretch of US
highway
23, between Columbus and Delaware Ohio. It gets it's name from
the
high cliff-like bluffs above the river (just short of 100' at their
highest. Leading back from these bluffs are a series of steep
sided
ravines which shelter a nice second growth forest composed mainly of
White Oak, Red Oak, ash, Suger Maple & American beach;
with
Bitternut & Shagbark hickory, black walnut, and slippery elm
making
occasional appearances. I don't have measuring equipment yet
but I'd
guess the largest trees average ~2.5' dbh, and perhaps 80-90' high.
Judging from other trees this size cut in Ohio I would guess the
largest trees range 120-150 years old.
However, the real star of the show is perhaps the largest sycamore
I've laid eyes on. It is sheltered on an isolated riverside
bench,
with the river on three sides and steep 30' bluffs at it's back.
The
sycamores are clearly visible at the crook of the river in this
google maps view.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=highbanks+metro+park&sll=41.385084,-81.545141
&sspn=0.013733,0.025041&ie=UTF8&om=1&t=h&z=17&ll=40.142115,-83.033177
&spn=0.003691,0.010579&iwloc=addr
Three pictures show different views of the tree. The last
picture is
a sycamore with unusually thick bark.
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