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TOPIC: Walnut Creek Gorge update
http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees/browse_thread/thread/1a97150517b66354?hl=en
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== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Tues, Sep 9 2008 7:04 pm
From: "Dale Luthringer"


ENTS,

A series of trips to Walnut Creek Gorge in Erie County on 3/28/08 &
4/14/08 yielded a new black walnut height record for Pennsylvania, and
also I believe for the Northeastern U.S. as well. This particular black
walnut is located on a rich flat just downstream from the Old
Sterrettania Rd Bridge. Both sycamore and tulip just make it into the
130ft height class here. N. red oaks almost make it into the 120ft
class. A number of black walnut here make just shy of 120ft, but a
small number of individuals make it into the 120ft class. One in
particular was small in girth, but not in height at 5.5ft CBH x 126ft
high.

The two day tally follows:

Species            CBH     Height  Comments      

Am. Basswood  N/A       103.2

Am. Basswood  6.9        108.8

Am. Basswood  6.6        111.1+

Am. Basswood  5.9        108.1+

Black cherry      N/A       97.2

Black cherry      N/A       100

Black walnut      9.2        102.1+

Black walnut      9.6        107.8

Black walnut      5.6        108.1+

Black walnut      6.7        114.1+

Black walnut      6          117.8

Black walnut      5.2        123.4    42 3.220N x 80 9.956W

Black walnut      5.5        126       42 3.212N x 80 9.954W

Cucumbertree    6.6        103.8

N. red oak         N/A       114.1+

N. red oak         8.2        114.1+

N. red oak         12.7      118

Sugar maple      9.5        96.6

Sugar maple      6.1        102.1+

Sugar maple      8.7        104.5

Sugar maple      8.9        107.6

Sycamore         N/A       122.4

Sycamore         6.7        131.8

Tuliptree            N/A       128.4

Tuliptree            N/A       129.1+

Tuliptree            N/A       130.4

Tuliptree            13.1      131.6

Tuliptree            9.5        132.8

Tuliptree            9.9        132.9

White ash         5.3        108.9

White ash         6.2        111.2

White ash         N/A       117.1

The Rucker Index for the Walnut Creek Gorge now stands at 123.66:

Speceis                        CBH     Height  Comments

Tuliptree                        9.5        135.5

Sycamore                     15.3      133.8

Black walnut                  5.5        126       tallest NE?

Slippery elm                  6.7        124.6

White ash                     8.2        124.2

Sugar maple                  9.3        122.9

Am. Beech                    16         120.1+

N. red oak                     12.7      118

Black locust                  7.6        116.5    tallest PA

Bitternut hickory            6.4        115

I think with more searching we should find a taller black locust
somewhere in PA. Also, a low 130ft class black walnut for PA is now a
definite possibility.

Dale

== 2 of 4 ==
Date: Wed, Sep 10 2008 4:30 am
From: dbhguru@comcast.net


Dale,

Grest job. Walnut Creek is definitely a significant site. It is good to see someone out in the field working site Rucker Indices.

Bob

== 3 of 4 ==
Date: Wed, Sep 10 2008 11:07 am
From: "Edward Forrest Frank"


Dale,

Excellent report. I will need to come up to Erie sometime and get a tour. Carl and I measured a Black Walnut at 126.9+ and a cbh 11.2 feet at Holden Arboretum about a 90 miles to the west of Erie. Carl could not get a good shot of the top so it is likely several feet taller. It is a great site also that needs to be visited again this fall after the leaves are down. NE Ohio might not be part of the northeast, but it is only 90 miles away so....

Ed

== 4 of 4 ==
Date: Wed, Sep 10 2008 1:32 pm
From: "Dale Luthringer"

That Holden Arboretum black walnut is a definite dandy. I almost walked
past the 126 footer in Walnut Creek since it was so skinny, but it just
kept going up, up, up.

Dale