Dauphin and Chester Counties PA

Dauphin and Chester Counties, PA

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TOPIC: recent measuring/findings in Pennsylvania
http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees/browse_thread/thread/d3dd21fce50ad56e?hl=en
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== 1 of 2 ==
Date: Mon, Feb 4 2008 6:31 pm
From: pabigtrees

ENTS

Recently I went to Dauphin Co. in the center of the state to remeasure
some champions for the Pennsylvania program. I wanted to share what I
found.

Several Sycamores were on my list. A cottonwood, and a few oaks.
Some of the trees are from a 1982 book called Penn's Woods. The book
was an update from the original 1932 edition, and listed trees
believed to be alive in 1682 when William Penn Arrived in
Pennsylvania. I decided to see how many I could find in this county,
like I have done before in other counties.

The day started off slow, finding the first white oak dead in a fence
row. It was 16' cbh in 1982, and it made it to 16.9 before it
toppled. A very hollow tree. I don't think it was as old as they
thought, as it grew next to a stream, and next to a manured field.
This tree was in Middletown, just outside of Harrisburg.

The next tree wasn't listed in the book, but I had heard about it when
I came this way to measure a 19' cbh single stem silver maple
recently. I had to hike around Wildwood Lake (huge retention basin)
about a mile to find the nice Sycamore that stood on the waters edge.
It is 20.5 cbh x 91.7 tall with a 67' spread for 355 AF points.
http://www.pabigtrees.com/trees/images/trees%20by%20county/dauphin/
pictures/2008%20dauphin%20co.%20pics/wildwood%20lake%20sycamore%20%20small%2008.jpg

There was one patch of older looking trees along the way. Chestnut
Oak, Red Oak, and Hackberry. Not big, but they looked old. I think I
saw my first Celtis tenuifolia, dwarf Hackberry, on the walk too. I
don't know what else they could have been.

My next stop led me to Ft. Hunter. Built in the 1750's as a frontier
fort, it is very nicely restored and operable as a historic park. In
1982 it was home to three big sycamores. It now has two. The one
that shaded the spring house fell in a storm, but left a 22.6 cbh
stump measured at 2'. Again, a hollow tree. Within sight was another
very healthy Sycamore that shaded the main house. It is 22.4' cbh x
122' tall with a 126' spread. A perfect example!
http://www.pabigtrees.com/trees/images/trees%20by%20county/dauphin/
pictures/2008%20dauphin%20co.%20pics/ft%20hunter%20sycamore%2008.JPG

The third Sycamore is next to the road and was backfilled some time
ago when the bridge was widened. It hasn't phased the tree yet, but
it was impossible to measure at 4.5' My guess is it was also in the
22' range.

Next I drove to Halifax, north of Harrisburg to see a giant
cottonwood. This tree is located within town, in a backyard, within
sight of the Susquehanna river. It measures 30.6' cbh x 106.7' tall
with a 108' spread. A real whopper. It does have low branching, so
it is difficult to tell how it started life. This tree is the state
champion. A local told me there are more on the way to the next town
north of Halifax. He said it like it wasn't a big deal too!
http://www.pabigtrees.com/trees/species/populus_poplar_aspen.htm

I then proceeded out of town on 225 to see a white oak from the Penn
Book. A resident kindly led me to the tree, as the market that was
named as a landmark in 1982 no longer existed. I found the oak up on
the side of the road at the edge of a farm field. 17.6' cbh x 64.3'
tall with a 93' spread. 301 AF points. Again, I don't think this one
was as old as they thought. It was covered in gypsy moth egg masses,
as was a 15' cbh white oak nearby. Central Pa has had an explosion
again of the pest, and it looks like another bumper crop is on the way
for 2008.

My last tree was a Japanese False Cypress in Reedsville on my way to
State College. I remeasured it for the champion program. Nothing
special.

Today I had a dentist appointment, so I took the day off to measure
trees before and after the ordeal. It is soothing for me and aids in
recovery. I visited the Westtown Boarding School, a quaker
institution that started in 1799 in Chester Co. Interestingly, the
original author of the 1932 Penn's Woods book was a student here. I
often wonder if he was inspired by the old growth on campus and the
Quaker affection for trees and nature. I first measured the "Lookout
Beech" so named as a platform is built in the tree with steps leading
up to it. It measures 17.3' cbh x 97.3' tall with a 102' spread.
http://www.pabigtrees.com/trees/images/trees%20by%20county/chester/
pictures/chesco%2027%20westtown%20beech%2008%20small.jpg

Within sight of this tree is a 15.7' cbh tulip and a beautiful Hemlock
that is 12.3' cbh x 110.8' tall with a 54'spread. More than likely a
planted tree.
http://www.pabigtrees.com/trees/images/trees%20by%20county/chester/
pictures/chesco%2029%20westtown%20hemlock%2008%20%20small.jpg

This Hemlock beat the current Eastern Pa Champ by one point with 273
AF points. Don't worry Will, this one is healthy!

I then measured a Castor Arailia (13.9 x 65 x 93) and a Moss False
Cypress (8.8 x 81.1 x 33) for the program.

I found the white oak that was supposed to be a Penn tree, but it was
an obvious double with a seam all the way to the ground. 18' cbh x
103.5 x 78. That was a bummer.

Saving the best for last, I measured some old growth tulip poplars.
The first was 16.9' cbh x 126.7 x 75
http://www.pabigtrees.com/trees/images/trees%20by%20county/chester
/pictures/chesco%2026%20westtown%20poplar%2008%20scale%20small.jpg

This tree was a "stovepipe" that was battered and broken, but with a
fresh canopy of newer growth at the top. It was a relic for sure.
Within 20' of this tree was another specimen that was 15.9' cbh x
121.3' x 64. These two were more than likely original forest trees
when the land was cleared for the school. Very cool trees. I hope to
return to this property another time, as they have more woods to
explore. I had to go to the dumb dentist instead.

Scott

== 2 of 2 ==
Date: Mon, Feb 4 2008 8:13 pm
From: "Dale Luthringer"

DOOOOOD,

Those sycamores are AWESOME !!!

That cottonwood is MASSIVE !!!

Is the 'Lookout Beech' an American or "Copper"?

Nice hemlock, here's some others:

Site Name CBH Height
Spread AF Points

Cook Forest Bridle Trail Hemlock 14 118 52.6
299.2
Cook Forest Camp Trail Hemlock 13.8 125.4 52.6
304.2
Hearts Content Hearts Content Hemlock 13.9 126.6 53.1
306.7

Can't remember if I gave you volumes yet for these. I haven't quite got
that far in my data book yet, so they may not have gone out to the
general ENTS list.

Name Volume (ft^3 via Macroscope 25)

Bridle Trail Hemlock 792
Camp Trail Hemlock 844
Hearts Content Hemlock 637

Gorgeous tulips! What a site!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dale

== 2 of 3 ==
Date: Tues, Feb 5 2008 5:40 am
From: pabigtrees

Bob, ENTS

Thanks for the comments. Bob I am sure we could model the tree. When
I measured it no one was home, so I just went about my business. I
have the address, so I could easily get a phone number off
whitepages.com. I am interested to go back up that road the resident
mentioned where there are more of them. I know the Susquehana river
valley has more to offer, especially in the southern end near
Maryland.

Bob, I also received a clinometer measurement of a forest grown white
pine in Md. 10.3 x 122 in Harford Co. from the state coordinator of
their big tree program. I didn't know if you could use the info, as
it is not lasered.

Scott

== 3 of 3 ==
Date: Tues, Feb 5 2008 12:36 pm
From: dbhguru@comcast.net

Scott,

Cottonwoods rule. Thanks, but I'll pass on the white pine, although height errors tend to average lower on conifers. There is just no way to know.

Bob

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