Trees of Historical Significance

Trees of Historical Significance

There are reasons that tree ordinances are put in place to protect trees that have significant historical meaning. Trees that have a history are protected so that they can tell the story of the town or area they have stood at for years. Some trees have stood for hundreds of years, and are a sight to behold when taking in their mass and height. The ordinances and laws will protect the trees from being altered or removed. There are different reasons a tree can have historical meaning. Perhaps an epic battle was fought before it or it was planted to mark some significant time. Unfortunately several trees are significant because they were used to hang people in that town. Called the hanging tree of whatever town they were in there are hundreds across the nation.

The Lone Cyprus at Pebble Beach. For more awesome picture of this scene, please visit http://www.flickriver.com/photos/mellard/tags/lonecypress/

In California along the 17-Mile Drive which is a scenic route on through to Pebble Beach there is The Lone Cypress. It is a tree that stands alone and is protected along the way. The Circus Trees are located in California and are shaped into art. Sometimes trees can be significant because they are art whether they still stand because they were the subject of a famous painting or actually the art itself. An example of that is Basket Tree which was planted strategically to make six sycamore trees wrap around one another. Laws have been put into place to protect these trees and there are severe consequences for defacing one of these trees. There are several forests that are protected from being cut down in America because of their significance and importance in the forming of America. There are also individual trees throughout the nation that have historical significance to a certain town that are protected by their own laws.

The biggest tree (diameter) in the world. For more info:
http://www.touropia.com/famous-trees-in-the-world/

Significant and historical trees are not just well known in the United States, there are several notable trees worldwide worth mentioning. The Major Oak is in Nottinghamshire, England and is said to be the home of Robin Hood and his men in Sherwood Forest. Around eight hundred years old it is one of the untouchables. Caesarsboom is a Bacatta tree in Lo, Belgium which is said to have Julius Caesar's horse attached to it when he conquered Belgium. In Asia the Cedars Of Lebanon are special because they were mentioned in the Bible on several occasions. The Ginkgo tree is a thousand years old and located at Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine in Asia. The Tree of Life is in Bahrain and is the only green growing thing in the middle of the desert. The people who live there believe that it was where the Garden of Eden. Since it is five hundred years old the logical explanation is that its long roots have found a source of water. There are hundreds of other historically significant trees in the world that need to be protected as well.  

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Hello folks, sorry about the lack of posts recently. December is always an extremely busy month for me. In the next week I'll be making a post regarding city tree ordinances and hopefully another before the new year. Hope everyone had a great holiday and here's wishing you all a happy new year!

Get your trees ready for winter!

How to Prepare Outdoor Trees and Shrubs for the Winter

When the winter months approach we never think twice about our trees in the yard. We just naturally assume that they will weather the harsh elements of winter with ease but this isn’t really true. The weather, salt, and other factors can damage our trees and shrubs. Here’s how you can protect them so they make it through the winter in one piece and suffer minimal damage.

Why Trees Need Protection

Colder weather presents many problems for the trees and shrubs in our yards. They can suffer damage from the cold and winds of the longer, harsher months. Snow and ice can break tender limbs and leave the trees in bad shape. Any trees that are susceptible to cold weather should be wrapped. They will stay warmer this way and they won’t get the snow and ice on them that damages smaller branches. Salt from de-icing can also be problematic for your trees and shrubs.

Wrap Trees

Tree wraps can help your younger trees survive the harsh elements. Mulch around the base of the tree can also help your trees during the harsher months of the year. Add this once the ground is frozen. Shredded bark, leaves, and pine needles are good choices.

Tree wrap can be used on thin barked trees and burlap can act as a windscreen around the tree to protect form sun damage and winds. Smaller limbs can be wrapped together so the ice and snow doesn’t break them. Many trees, such as upright evergreens, birch and other deciduous trees are prone to breakage form ice and snow conditions. Remove these wraps in the spring and allow the trees to grow again. Use repellants around the trees for rabbits, deer, and moles as they will be looking for food in the winter months.

Trees by Roads

It’s not a good idea to plant trees and shrubs near roads that are heavily used in the winter as the salt from trucks can get onto the trees. If you do have trees near the road make sure these are wrapped well in the winter to keep the salt off of them as much as possible. Wash the sidewalks and the trees to remove the salt. Building a fence if possible is another idea to keep some of the salt sprays off of the trees. Salt tends to accumulate on lower branches so clean these as much as possible.

Fertilizer

After the first frost you might want to apply some fertilizer to the trees as they will absorb these nutrients and thus cаn help them weather through the winter months. Using fertilizer can also help the trees get a head start on growth in the spring. Make sure you use the right fertilizers by consulting with your local garden center.

Different Trees

If you live in harsh climates and tree damage is a problem in the winter then you might want to try growing trees that can withstand the harsher weather a bit more. The more you protect the trees you have the easier they will be able to weather the changes in temperature.