I Love Nature

The glorious 200 year old maple has been my companion since I bought this old farmhouse forty years ago. I loved this gigantic tree from the first moment I laid eyes on her. She was close to the back of the house, so I called in experts and they trimmed her and cabled a limb that was growing at a bit of an awkward angle. I loved her beauty and the shelter for birds, shade, and fall color she gave us. She was magnificent! Everyone who came to my gardens remarked about this beautiful maple tree.

Twenty years ago a large limb at the top broke during a bad wind storm, taking off the back porch roof and puncturing the bedroom ceiling as it crashed down. Again the experts were called, she was trimmed and deemed safe.

But over the past few years I noticed that the cabled limb seemed hollow. I began to worry during bad storms. I knew I needed to seek expert advice but I put it off because I feared the worst. I convinced myself that the tree was probably fine, even though my gut instinct was telling me differently. A couple of weeks ago after a particularly bad storm, I couldn't ignore it any longer. The experts were called. It was time for her to come down.

I felt so sad as I watched the process. Since a truck couldn't get back into the area, she was taken down by a climber, limb by limb, bit by bit and it was painful to watch. But it was fascinating as well to witness the expertise of the crew as they did their work. I tried to focus on that.

Finally the large notch in the trunk was cut and the result was shocking. The entire center of the trunk was hollow all the way up, at least 18 inches in diameter of rotted void was exposed. It was a relief to know for sure that I had made the right decision. And mostly I was grateful to my beautiful friend that she had held on until I could bring myself to decide.

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hlpflwthat · M

I'd have had to stay inside so no one could see me bawling like a baby. I've lived most my life here in a million-acre State Hardwood Forest. All trees matter, but we do become attached to the biggies don't we.

Far as we know, we've completed the removal of all dead ash from our properties here in the city. There are 2 left that will have to be done professionally because of power lines. It has been heart-breaking. This is the 2nd infestation that's wiped out a tree in the short blip of my years on the Great Timeline. Many of these very ash were planted to replace the shade of those elms 40 years ago. I am wondering/worried whether this Emerald Ash Borer will disappear and die off for lack of food in the next couple years ... or will it evolve an appetite for something else?

rckt148 · 61-69, M

@hlpflwthat Agrilus planipennis
Emerald ash borer. The emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) is a green buprestid or jewel beetle native to north-eastern Asia that feeds on ash species. Females lay eggs in bark crevices on ash trees, and larvae feed underneath the bark of ash trees to emerge as adults in one to two years.

Now being carried to other countries

Pines have a beetle killing them too
Mountain pine beetles

Rhynchophorus ferrugineus kills palms

Citrus canker wipes out entire orange groves ,they have to be burned ,and someone just walking in an infected grove can carry it to a healthy one

Yea ,,some end of days stuff ,most people are not even aware of ,,our trees are where we get the oxygen we breath
but who needs the EPA to protect our water and Air
climate change is a hoax
Who cares ,,we don't need to breath ,,we will be dead soon
let our children and their children worry about it

Datura · F

@hlpflwthat , we do become so attached. This was heartbreaking! I knew you'd understand.
When I bought this house 40 years ago I had 3 elms in the yard. The spread of their boughs is something I will never forget. I gradually watched in horror as all 3 faded and died.

Let's hope the Ash Borer meets an enemy stronger than he!

hlpflwthat · M

@rckt148 Would be far more comfortable to swallow the hoaxer's stance and not think about it ... but this a cool planet - worth defending ;)