arson and a big WV sycamore

arson and a big WV sycamore	Fores-@aol.com
	Sep 05, 2007 08:04 PDT

Authorities investigate arson at landmark tree

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WEBSTER SPRINGS Someone set fire to a 500-year-old sycamore tree in
Webster County Monday afternoon, authorities said.
I"t's an old landmark," said Sgt. Curt Tonkin of the West Virginia Division
of Natural Resources law enforcement section. "It's a huge sycamore that
s been a landmark here for several hundred years."
The fire broke out at the tree, located on the Back Fork of Elk River,
around noon Monday, Tonkin said. The tree survived the flames, but was damaged.
Investigators have determined that the fire was caused by arson.
We are not sure the extent of the damage yet, Tonkin said. "It didn't burn
down. [The fire] burnt up the inside of the tree."
"The tree trunk was hollow and people could walk inside of it. Authorities
have closed the area around the tree until we conduct an investigation of just
exactly how much was damaged, if it's going to live or even be safe to be
around." Tonkin said.
The Webster Springs Fire Department, Webster Sheriff's Department and the
state Division of Forestry responded to the fire, Tonkin said. They were on
scene for several hours, as the fire smoldered even after the flames were out.

RE: arson and a big WV sycamore	dbhg-@comcast.net
	Sep 06, 2007 05:34 PDT

James,

I doubt that anyone will ever be caught. Big trees with a reputation are fair game for kids and that element of the redneck community that resents the very existence of a big tree. Tree huggers are considered to be communists. From the dwarfed, twisted perspective of this redneck element, the only good tree is a cut tree.

Bob

-------------- Original message --------------
From: James Smith <jsmit-@carolina.rr.com>;

Crap! I was going to visit that tree in October!!! I didn't have time to
swing by there on my last trip to WV a couple months ago.

I hope the person who did this meets a Mack truck head on at 70mph.

Re: Back to Lee again	Lee E. Frelich
	Sep 06, 2007 06:18 PDT

Bob:

The pendulum swung back and forth from climax to catastrophists several
times during the 20th Century, and when catastrophists were in vogue,
everyone was against Clements. These days we finally understand that
periods of stability of varying lengths occur in different forest types and
neither side was correct in asserting that their favored point of view
applied in all cases.

People also didn't like Clements because he came up with the concept of
forest as a superorganism.

Lee

Re: arson and a big WV sycamore	Fores-@aol.com
	Sep 06, 2007 08:09 PDT

Bob:

I think that you hit the nail firmly on the head...I only wish I had some
decent examples to dispute your statement.

Russ

== 2 of 2 ==
Date: Sun, Jan 20 2008 6:38 pm
From: tsharp13

Ed:

Last week a Charleston, WV newspaper had an article detailing an
arrest two juvenile involved with the Big Sycamore fire but the
article had a disturbing statement toward the end (and I am quoting
from memory) that experts are recommending it be cut down or fenced
off for safety reasons. I'll try to find out more tomorrow and tract
down the experts.

Turner Sharp

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Webster Sycamore, WV
http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees/browse_thread/thread/a64305fdb7a61f58?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 2 ==
Date: Tues, Jan 22 2008 4:31 am
From: tsharp13@suddenlink.net

Ents: The experts who pronounced judgment on the Big Sycamore on the
Back Fork of the Elk River were from the WV Division of Forestry and
from West Virginia University. Apparently one side of tree is burnt so
much that it is believed it is subject to toppling over thus the
recommendation of cutting it down or fencing it for safety reasons.
The owner of the tree, Pardee- Cutrin Lumber Company, is not going to
cut it down and has or will fence it off with copious numbers of no
trespassing signs. Apparently within the next several weeks there will
be a meeting of concerned citizens discussing ways to save the tree if
possible. This includes saving the seed and or reproducing from
cuttings etc. For anyone interested in keeping abreast of the status
of this tree Geary Weir of the Webster County Development Association
will answer all inquiries , He may be reached at the WCDA 304-847-2145
or wcda@websterwv.com
Turner Sharp

== 2 of 2 ==
Date: Tues, Jan 22 2008 5:51 am
From: "Will Blozan"

Turner,

Thanks for the update. What a damn sad story. Idiots. The east's largest
known sycamore on life support.

If I had room I would love a cutting from that tree. I hope it is preserved
at least via cuttings, and am grateful ENTS got to the tree before it fails.

Will

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