Loss of an old friend

[John_T.]

Today is a sad day for all Marylanders. We have loss a 480 year old National champion White Oak tree. She succumb to the 70 Mph. winds of a T-storm last night. Her name was The Wye Oak in Wye Mills, Md. This tree was a great icon for the Eastern Shore of Maryland. In fact it was, along with the land around it, A State park. George Washington's Mt. Vernon estate just had some saplings planted on its property a month ago. I feel very thankfull that I have a 12 year old off spring of the Wye Oak growing nicely in my back yard. They will leave it laying down for 2 days so those who wish to visit it may do so. I will take good care of my tree, and enjoy it even more. I would love to get some of the wood from it, but don't think I can.

[Captain_Bandaid]

Re: Loss of an old friend

Woodbutcher, I know how you feel. I watched in disgust as housing developers pushed down several very old, very large white oaks in our subdivision to make room for houses. These trees were about 4-5 feet in diameter at the base and spread out to cover a circle of 50-60 feet. However, nature will find a way...this spring I found a sapling growing in the flower bed in my front yard....it was a white oak. I am nurturing it along, assuming that it is the off-spring of one of those lost to 'progress'.

[John_T.]

[Captain_Bandaid]

Re: Loss of an old friend

??? Well, why don't they cut the wood for lumber and build a monument to the tree?

[John_T.]

Re: Loss of an old friend

They said the new National Champion white Oak is in Ohio I think. They are hauling this one away to an undisclosed storage facility. Enough I won't bore you anymore.

[Guest]

Re: Loss of an old friend

They should contact a good chainsaw carver to make a monument they could stand right in the very spot . I know there are some very talented chainsaw cavers near by . National champion Dennis Beach . My good friends Rick and Randy Boni . Bill Plant , I traveled to Ridgway PA.were Rick and Randy live in Feb. 107 of us chainsaw carvers. met and carved for the make a wish foundation. we raise 25,000 dollar one day . Great bunch of carvers they traveled from Japan ,Germany, England ,Scotland, Canada and all across the USA for this event that is a yearly event now . You can find qualified carvers on the www.carvingpost.com there plenty of works to look at on the links .