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On my trip to the beach Saturday, it suddenly became obivious that a very vicious storm had pounded the Oregon Coastline and had extended inland. Vast areas of tall trees in 1/2 mile paths had been snapped in half and ALL blown down in the same direction. The scene looked like the 1907 Photograph taken in Sibera where something must have struck the earth and toppled every tree in sight for miles upon miles.......all falling in the same direction. I have never seen anything like it.
Oregons famous 700+ year Old Sita Spruce believed to be the largest and oldest in North America fell victum to the storm which I learned struck last Dec. 2nd. But it did not go without a fight! The hugh upper portion landed completely opposite of any other tree in the direction in which it fell. What you see still standing is extremely tall and has one "still living" branch attached just where the tree had snapped. And what is left of the tree still towers many many many stories high into the sky. What is most amazing is that so much of the inner wood was revealed as healthy despite what we were told by the State a number of years ago. The State has been proven wrong.
Just think of the 7+ Centurys this tree has stood and survived all sorts of things. It was large even before Columbus discovered America. If there is anything to be glad for in the case of this tree is that it met with a natural death before man suddenly declared he must cut it down as it posed a threat and might suddenly fall on the visitors.
Justin~
about 10-20 100+ year old trees were cut down recently at my local park because they were so big that there was a risk of them falling onto the busy road that goes down the side of the park(the trees were on the edge of the park's boundaries). Its sad when i realise that if they planted new seeds now, the trees would not have grown to the size of the origonal ones untill after ime dead and gone.
Under the right conditions trees can become very tall in a relatively short time. It took only 45 years for these trees to get huge. The tallest one is about 30 meters tall. The tallest one is a Monterey Pine which is a very fast growing species. I have one of these in my front yard which is more spreading than tall but over 10 meters in height with a trunk 90 centimeters thick at the base. It was knee high when I bought my house in 1988 It is probably 22 years old, maybe 23. It initially grew somewhat slowly, but once the roots got long enough to reach our somewhat shallow water table, it took off.
Scott
Hey Scott
How interesting about how fast a tree is able to grow under the right conditions. Glad you posted what you did. Thanks. :-)
To give an idea of the size of the top section of the Sitka Spruce which fell. And this is only the upper portion.......the "small" section. Can you imagine?
Justin~
had to topple in a storm. It must have been 300 feet tall. The good thing is that no one was hurt or killed from this incident.
We had some trees fall here in our January 4th "cold hurricane" in the bay area.
Scott
Is the top image from the film "the Birds"?
Yup it sure is.
Scott
You live in that house? Thats Coool ;)
No I don't. I just took a photo of it early this year on one of my rain escape drives. (A rain escape drive is when I take my bike far from home in my car to a place where it is not raining for a dry ride.)
Scott
Oh, Its still cool tho even to of seen it ;)
Bodega, CA... Cool! I used to live in Santa Rosa back in the 70's. I'm glad the old school house is still there.
Such a shame, but at least it was taken by nature and not man.
Thanks for the history too Justin, very interesting.
~ Dave
That is a great shame and at least it wasn't a little man with a mechanical saw to crop it down.
Cheers,
John.B
Greetings Justin, I recall the storm, it was bad enough around here in northern CA (bay area), we had a fair amount of damage done to redwood trees, although no old-growth trees came down that I am aware of. Yeah, it's sad when you see something so old and mighty fall victim that like, but at least it was a natural demise as has been stated. Thanks for sharing the pic and history.
Cheers,
Max
I know the sadness of loosing a beloved tree. I have this little
tree in front of my house that will be cut down when they dig up
the sewers to replace them this summer. I'm quite distressed by
it, although they rpomise to replace it it won't be the same.
Kevin
Oh dear the poor tree :-(
Hi Kevin
Yea thats too bad about the tree as it looks rather young like it was planted recently.I guess they can't work the sewer project around that area as I'm sure thats not the only tree thats gonna go.OH by the way is that your wild car across the street that the tree is obscuring?Interesting graphic on the side.Anyway take care my friend and be safe:)
Mark
Hi Mark
What your seeing in the background is the town hall/cop shop/fire dept. The car is the Dare progam show car they drive to schools when they do their school bit. Funny thing I live across from the police ctation and EMS paramedics and they may still take 20 minutes to get to me if I called them. ha!
Kevin
Hey Kevin
What a shame about your little tree. Too bad the town didn't decide to monkey-around with the sewer project BEFORE that priceless tree was planted. Bet the whole thing is driving you apes!
Possible solution: A sewer by-pass. Yes! Just in the area of the tree a U-Shaped elbow connector to the main sewer pipes could be installed and thus avoid disturbance to that beloved little tree.
Can't promise that the town fathers will go banannas about the idea however.........but it's sure worth a try.
Take care-
Justin~
Well Justin all may not be lost I'm contemplating having a
professional tree service dig it up and move it to the back.
Stay tuned I'll keep you posted.
Kevin
My family has/had an apple orchard. For various reasons, we're selling most of the properties. In January, I went from living with my parents on ~50 acres to them living with me on ~5 acres, and we didn't move. Anyhow, since nothing really changed, it didn't hit home until the folks who bought ~35 acres took out some of the apple trees to make their driveway. I got home at 2 am (worked until 1am), then was woken up at 7:30am hearing the screams of the earth as the trees were pulled up... OK, it was the machinery, but it sounded horrific. At least they'll be keeping most of the trees.
Justin, et.all.,
I hate to see what nature's caprice has wrought. It is reminiscent of what we saw in the Carolina's subsequent to hurricanes Hugo and Floyd, great swarths of forest broken as if they were tooth pics. The beauty is that we ever had the opportunity to witness something so resplendent at all. This occassion is certainly a reminder to take in what we see and appreciate the here and now.
Hi Justin,
It is always sad to hear about the loss of something like this magestic tree after one big storm. What is amazing is that this tree has been around for almost 200 years longer than the time at which Columbus discovered America. It is really a draem of mine to see some of these trees in Oregon some day, along with the Redwoods in California.
Take care,
David
Hi Justin
I'm sure the picture doesn't do it justice but that must have been an amazing tree before it met it fate back in December.Like you said at least it fell by an act of nature and not man.I guess its sort of the changing of the guard as this one fell but I'm sure younger ones survived unscathed.Its interesting how nature decides when its time for something to go after it survived as long as it did.I suppose one of those nagging questions not even the scientists can figure out.Anyway I'm glad you had fun over the weekend in spite of it being rather cold.Also thanks so much for your great letter to me as it was a pleasant surprise when I saw it:)Take care my friend!
Mark