Bedford Poplar

Bedford Poplar, VA	Will Blozan

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TOPIC: Bedford Poplar
http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees/browse_thread/thread/b6cc78c0b837efef?hl=en
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== 1 of 8 ==
Date: Sat, Dec 1 2007 7:10 am
From: "Will Blozan"

ENTS,

Just heard from Charles Warlick, an ephemeral ENT, who was at the Bedford
Poplar (current National Champion) during the phone call. He says it is but
30' tall now and virtually dead. It has been cut back severely and has just
a scattering of live limbs. He also can't fathom how anyone would call it a
single stemmed tree. He will be sending my some pictures which I'll post.

Will

== 2 of 8 ==
Date: Sat, Dec 1 2007 8:59 am
From: dbhguru

Will,

As we both know, the Bedford Poplar is one of a hand full of famous trees that made the National Register of Big Trees worthless as a source of scientific data. We can say that we tried to get them to straighten out that widely acclaimed listing, but they chose not to heed our advice.

Bob

== 3 of 8 ==
Date: Sat, Dec 1 2007 9:25 am
From: "Will Blozan"

At least they dropped the height 35'!

== 4 of 8 ==
Date: Sat, Dec 1 2007 9:32 am
From: James Parton

Will & Bob,

Yes, it is pretty obvious that the Bedford Poplar is a multitrunked
tree. Still, it is impressively large. About 30 ft in circumference.
right? I wonder why those morons would cut it back so badly that it
would possibly kill it? No, I would not put it scientifically on par
with the Sag Branch or Mill Creek Monster but still it is noteworthy.

James P.

== 7 of 8 ==
Date: Sat, Dec 1 2007 9:54 am
From: "Will Blozan"

Sorry, for those unaware of the full story, both Bob and I measured the tree
repeatedly in 1996 or 1997 with lasers from every angle and could not find a
top more than 111' high. The tree, at the time, was listed as 146' tall-
AFTER it had re-grown from hurricane damage in 1972 (when it was supposedly
much taller than 146'). Anyway, I sent a note to American Forests and they
changed the height to 111'. However, they did not agree it was more than one
stem so it stayed on the list.

Maybe a legit tree from the Smokies can now claim the title. But as long as
the Bedford tree is still alive out-pointing it will still be hard. The
largest I know of in the Smokies points out to 464 (Jess may have a larger
one). If the Bedford tree is now 65' tall or less it would have a chance. I
imagine the spread is no longer 125' either.

Will

== 5 of 7 ==
Date: Sun, Dec 2 2007 4:35 pm
From: JamesRobertSmith

Are there any photos here at ENTS of the Bedford Poplar? Where is it
located?

== 7 of 7 ==
Date: Sun, Dec 2 2007 4:51 pm
From: edfrank@comcast.net

ENTS,

There is a photo of the tree on this site: http://www.cnr.vt.edu/4H/BIGTREE/

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TOPIC: Putting big tree size in context
http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees/browse_thread/thread/b6cc78c0b837efef?hl=en
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== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Mon, Dec 3 2007 3:49 pm
From: Matthew Hannum

Well, while the Bedford Poplar is definitely not a single trunk, it is
still an impressive tree, and a very strange example of tulip poplar
growth. I don't think I've ever seen one like that before!

OMG!!!!!!!

National Champion tuliptree, December 2007.

== 2 of 4 ==
Date: Wed, Jan 16 2008 10:54 am
From: "Brandon Gallagher"

Tell me that wasn't a pruning job, please!!??

Brandon Gallagher Watson

Plant Healthcare Specialist

== 3 of 4 ==
Date: Wed, Jan 16 2008 10:54 am
From: "Will Blozan"

It's time for. SAG BRANCH BABY! (unless some other presumably mismeasured
tuliptree makes on first!)

== 4 of 4 ==
Date: Wed, Jan 16 2008 10:56 am
From: "Will Blozan"

Brandon,

Jeez, I hope not! I did a Google search and could find no answers. That is
atrocious! Please, oh please take it down.

Will

== 2 of 2 ==
Date: Wed, Jan 16 2008 10:29 pm
From: Beth Koebel

HOLY CRAP!!!!

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TOPIC: Bedford Stump
http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees/browse_thread/thread/90aa57cae47dc683?hl=en
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== 1 of 2 ==
Date: Thurs, Jan 17 2008 4:57 pm
From: Michael Davie

I'm sure someone has already nominated some flared-base, twin-stem
specimen "measured" to 190 feet tall. What was the girth of that
"diving giant" tree--up Ramsey Prong, I think it was? Maybe that should
be the new one.
But seriously, which one of the large tuliptrees actually wins in
points? Not that it matters, I think Sag is likely to be the most
voluminous (currently known), and should be the nominee, but is it the
points winner according to the formula? I think it outpoints the
Greenbrier Giant tree by a little bit, right? I can't remember the
points for the Mill Creek tree, or the Deep Creek tree.
I'm sorry for the poor Bedford tree, but really, we've all talked
about the limitations of the national champ list forever, and it will
never be the greatest, but let's get a real tuliptree on there!
Mike

== 2 of 2 ==
Date: Thurs, Jan 17 2008 7:05 pm
From: "Will Blozan"

Mike,

As far as my records go, the Sag Branch tree is the "largest", point-wise. I
have heard the Greenbrier Giant has fallen but have not been up to check it
out. It was standing when Jess and I modeled the trunk a few years ago.

I agree, time for a legit champ. "The Diver", to me is a twin. Last time I
saw it, it had "calved" a huge section on one stem and the other had died
back. Not a happy tree.

The Mill Creek Monster is the same girth as the Sag Branch Tulip but ~13'
shorter. However, it has not been measured in quite a while and could be a
co-champ.

What a disgraceful end to the Bedford Tree. I can't believe the AF field
rep, Guy Meilleur would even find some sort of misguided support of the hack
job done.

Will

== 2 of 4 ==
Date: Fri, Jan 18 2008 10:06 am
From: pabigtrees

Will, ENTS

You will be happy to know that the new tulip poplar is a single stem.
http://www.cnr.vt.edu/4H/BIGTREE/bigtree_detail.cfm?AutofieldforPrimaryKey=689

Will is the sag bigger? Get it in by Tuesday for the 2008 register.
Here is the email to send it in. JPhillips@amfor.org

Scott

== 3 of 4 ==
Date: Fri, Jan 18 2008 10:38 am
From: James Parton

Will,

I presume the Bedford tree is dead? Good luck on the Sag Branch
submission. I visited that one last year. It is one impressive tree!

James P.

== 4 of 4 ==
Date: Fri, Jan 18 2008 11:54 am
From: "Will Blozan"

Scott,

Bummer, that VA tree is WAY bigger; the Sag Branch tree is 464 points (but
larger in volume for sure).

Will

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Bedford Poplar
http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees/browse_thread/thread/e2691df1ba80f590?hl=en
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== 1 of 4 ==
Date: Thurs, Jan 24 2008 4:39 am
From: TreeFarmer

On Jan 24, 12:18 am, James Parton <hawthorn_...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> The tree looked much better in 1996. Now it is all hacked up. Is it
> still alive?
Yea it's been cannibalized by the ignorance of the Bedford so called
Arborist who hired a tree wacker to "clean it up".
Sad commentary of the level of care offered to the worlds largest
Poplar. With the drought and warm/cold freeze damage it will be a
miracle if it leafs this spring.
If it flowers we'll collect seed or cuttings and plant in our native
nursery.

== 2 of 4 ==
Date: Thurs, Jan 24 2008 5:47 am
From: "Will Blozan"

ENTS, AF,

I wonder if the Town of Bedford, VA thinks they got a good deal and the tree
is now safe and healthy? Are they happy with the job and how it looks?

How on earth could someone approve and support such hideous dismemberment of
such a tree? Any tree, for that matter? Unfortunately this kind of brutality
is common and accepted over much of the rural US.

I think American Forests should do a front page story on the massacre of the
Bedford Poplar. That would get some attention and be an excellent
opportunity to do an expose on poor pruning and management of our national
treasures and trees in general

The town of Bedford should be ashamed of what has happened and help other
communities to avoid it entirely. If the tree was so hazardous and declined
that cutting into wood 2+ feet thick AND removing ALL of its food producing
foliage (duh !!!) was the best option, I would recommend one more cut.
Ground level.

Will

== 3 of 4 ==
Date: Thurs, Jan 24 2008 5:51 am
From: "Gary A. Beluzo"

Will,

Is this the current CBH champ for Liriodendron?

Gary

== 4 of 4 ==
Date: Thurs, Jan 24 2008 5:57 am
From: "Will Blozan"

For a multi-stemmed tree maybe; the new one in VA is HUGE and appears to be
a single stem.

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