Will Blozan among the Spanish Moss - photo by Randy Cyr
Will Blozan
|
ENTS,
I am now back in the cool and cloudy (just like a good IPA) Pacific Northwest
after spending a week with Will and his wonderful family. The arboreal
highlights were many, but of course you will want to hear about the two climbs.
Two weeks ago I thought that The Senator held a supreme position in the East as
far as volume was concerned. I figured that the largest of the Smokies
Liriodendrons would be close to 3K and that the Middleton Oak would come in
somewhere around 2K.
Boy was I wrong!
Although I have measured wood volume on over 2000 trees and branch volume on
136 trees, these were largely conifers and the ones that weren’t were
relatively small or tall Eucalypts. My branch-trunk measuring protocol was
developed on the world’s most complex trees, so I was confident it would adapt
easily to these trees.
Middleton Oak
Three cheers to Randy for organizing the Middleton Oak climb! Setting up the
permissions and accommodations was fantastic - all we had to do was focus on
the tree. Appalachian Arborists climbers Will Blozan, Ed Coyle, and Brian
Hinshaw are excellent climbers who were easily able to respond to the trees’
architectural challenges in order to collect the needed data.
Overall, four people spent 8 hours in the tree measuring branch segments and
branches. Besides the 3-D structural data set, a footprint map was made (2-D
cross-sectional diagram) of the base, BH, and at 6.75 feet. A crown projection
map was also made. Originally estimates on foliar and epiphytic biomass were
going to be made, but this would have more than doubled the workload so it was
scrapped.
Sag-Branch Tulip
Will chose this tree because the massive crown – unsurpassed in his opinion.
There may be other trees of this species that may rival the wood volume (larger
trunk, smaller crown), but this was a great one to start with. This tree also
required 8 hours in the tree, but for three climbers (Will, Ed, and myself).
Added to that were 8 miles of trail, the last one after dark.
Summary Stats
Cautionary note: The numbers presented below are PRELIMINARY. The final 3-D
model will modify these into a final form to include branch basal taper which
the numbers below do not reflect. This aspect will take me a few weeks to
complete. I wanted to post these initial numbers to start a discussion. The
branch volume estimates account for all wood in the tree larger than 1.5 inches
thick. Very small branches and twigs are not included.
| |
Middleton Oak |
Sag-Branch Tulip |
|
Height |
67.4 |
167.7 |
|
DBH |
10.44 |
7.08 |
|
Crown Spread |
118 |
101 |
| |
|
|
|
Wood Volume |
(cubic feet): |
|
|
Main Trunk |
970 |
2,430 |
|
Branches |
3,850 |
1,560 |
|
Total |
4,820 |
3,990 |
| |
|
|
|
Linear path length of wood over 1.5 inches (ft) |
| |
2,730 |
2,360 |
WOW!
Needless to say, I must complete revise my thoughts on Eastern trees. When
first seeing these numbers, I was both excited and confused. If the greatest
of Tulips can’t beat this Oak, what can? A Sycamore? A Cherrybark? Another
Live oak? To be fair the estimates on the Senator are crude and do not include
branches.
We have our work cut out for us!!!
Cheers,
- BVP
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Will Blozan, Ed Coyle, Brian Hinshaw, Dr. Bob Van Pelt,
Guy Mullier, and Randy Cyr
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