Some years back we started measuring the Sequoias and Ponderosas and Redwoods that we had planted to see how fast they grew. Or just because Johnny was a forester and foresters measure DBH (diameter at breast height) of trees. But, alas, we cannot find wherever we wrote down those early measurements. (news flash!! I just read earlier posts in this Trees blog and found the measurements!! I will now add them to this post.)
Today, January 17, 2022, the 13th birthday of our youngest grandson, Cedrus, and the 22nd birthday of our surrogate granddaughter Kinnera, we decided to celebrate by measuring the largest of each species of our trees. (The grandkids have always enjoyed wandering through our trees and Cedrus was, after all, named for one.) The only way I know to keep from losing today's measurements is by putting them into a blog post. So here they are...
Adding a few photos taken January 21, 2022, Johnny's 79th birthday... and later...
Arboretum Trees
Giant Sequoia, first one on perimeter path, 68.5 inches circumference which converts to 21.8 inches diameter (DBH). In 2017, it measured 15.1 DBH
Incense Cedar, near birch tree and near path in Redwood/Sequoia grove
Redwood, first one planted, named the Peace Pilgrim tree, 46.75 which equals 14.9 DBH. In 2017, it measured 10.8 DBH
Ponderosa Pine, behind the Ponderosa sign at the beginning of the pine grove, first trees planted in the arboretum, back in 1998 49.75 which equals 15.8 DBH. In 2017, it measured 13.5 DBH
We have also planted trees in what we call the Lake Pasture, because it used to flood every winter... before we filled it with trees. So today we decided to measure the biggest of those trees, too.
Giant Sequoia, 59, 18.8 DBH so not as big as the biggest one in the arboretum but bigger than many of them there. Maybe I'll get photos of these trees someday.
Sitka Spruce, 32.25, 10.27 DBH.
Hybrid Poplar 49.25, 15.7 DBH. This is the largest of the hybrid poplars planted in 1995 in the west most section of the lake pasture at the trail junction. These trees lost a lot of branches in our Feb. ice storm in 2021. That proved a blessing as their buds were at just the right stage to make Balm of Gilead... and we made lots of it!
Woodland Trees, not planted by us
Douglas Fir 118, 37.6 DBH. On the east side of the main trail
Douglas Fir 138, 44.0 DBH. on the east side of the main trail to Agency Creek, across from where the Hobbit Trail takes off westward
Douglas Fir 130, 41.4 DBH, junction of old trail (now challenging due to storm downfalls) and main trail to Agency Creek
(I just remembered a Western Red Cedar Tree that we did plant years ago on the Agency Creek trail that we forgot about today and will have to measure another time.) Did measure it on Johnny's birthday 24", 7.6 DBH
Pump Pasture Trees
Big Maple, this is a huge old tree with a giant burl at the base. It is at the edge of what we call the Pump Pasture because our well house is there. 162, DBH 51.6
Grand Fir 89.5, 28.5 DBH. This tree is at the edge of our little creek across the field from the Big Maple
A subset of the Pump Pasture is the Horse Grove Trees, so named because the horses have made trails through there in the shade of the many big firs. We just measured the biggest.
Doug Fir double tree 167 for 53.2 DBH
Grand Fir (Hawk Tree) 137, 43.6DBH This is the big snaggle topped tree we see from the barn that often has a Red-tailed Hawk sitting at the top... or sometimes a Bald Eagle.
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| Friend Mary and Johnny by the Hawk Tree |
Swamp Forest
This is a lowland area along Agency Creek that was full of Alder trees when we moved here, floods annually, where we planted Redwoods, Western Red Cedar, Port Orford Cedar and Incense Cedar. They did not do much until the Alders began falling and opening up the canopy so we did not measure many there. There were a couple big Douglas Firs in there that are still upright and we measured one of those.
Douglas Fir 149, 47.5 DBH
Oregon Ash 60, 19.1 DBH
Port Orford Cedar 18, 5.7 DBH
Three Cedars Trail
A slightly higher elevation area of the Swamp Forest has more surviving cedars and Redwoods that we planted long ago. They are still fighting their way upward.
Redwood 22.5, 7.2 DBH
Western Red Cedar 15, 4.8 DBH
On our way back, we measured some of the trees that form our eastern property line, that we planted when we moved here in 1970 or soon after.
Douglas Fir 78.5, 25.0 DBH
Douglas Fir 67, 21.3 DBH
And on Jan. 26, we measured the sequoia that sits in the corner of the B hay field, adjacent to the A field and the barn field. I planted it there years ago to provide shade for the animals. However, the goats like to eat their shade so we put a fence around to keep them out.
Giant Sequoia 66, 21 DBH
