Fort Lauderdale's Historic Bicentennial Liberty Live Oak Tree

I recently uncovered a trove of historical information and photographs documenting the relocation of the City's Bicentennial Live Oak tree. The tree was already over 200 years old when it was selected for preservation/relocation by then Fort Lauderdale City Mayor E Clay Shaw and successfully relocated on September 8, 1976. The tree was originally located near the Broward Courthouse before being moved adjacent to the river walk area of Bubier Park/Huizenga Plaza. This tree relocation had many moving parts and required coordination from multiple parties including the Florida Forest Service, FPL, City of Fort Lauderdale, Eller Company, Powell Brothers and Koch Towing Company. The tree was rededicated in 2001 and renamed the Bicentennial Liberty Live Oak tree in memorial of September 11, 2001. Today the tree is approaching 250 years of age and is still doing fairly well at its present location; with some necessary tree pruning, cabling/bracing, insect treatment, root zone remediation and soil sampling completed as of late December 2017. All of the upcoming work will help ensure that the tree continues to thrive and provide shade/enjoyment for City neighbors/visitors for many years to come. 

 

Dead Trees/ Snags

I'm often asked when do dead trees need to be removed, and do they always need to come out. The answer typically involves the location of the dead tree(s) and the potential targets should the tree experience a failure level event. Dead trees located near walkways, parking lots, busy streets or anywhere that could cause damage to people or property should be removed. If the likelihood of injury or damage to property resulting from a dead tree's disintegration is minimal the tree can/should be preserved as a snag/home for wildlife. Generally, these trees will be in isolated locations, such as natural areas or heavily wooded areas of parks. Snags provide shelter and cover for multiple species and are an important part of the natural environment. To learn more about tree snags please visit the below websites:

Photographs used courtesy of Donna Bollenbach FNPS and Savaatree.com


https://www.nwf.org/Garden-for-Wildlife/Cover/Trees-and-Snags
http://wdfw.wa.gov/living/snags/
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw175
http://fnpsblog.blogspot.com/2016/12/dont-cut-down-that-snag.html

The Liberty Tree

I came across a very interesting article concerning American history as it relates to one tree in particular. The Liberty tree is mentioned quite often in American history (subject of a poem "Liberty Tree" by Thomas Paine) and was a site of many very important protests including the Stamp Act. One of the most telling quotes originated with Thomas Jefferson who stated "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure". The Liberty elm tree was originally located in Boston Massachusetts on the Boston common and was felled in 1775 by British troops. Plans are underway to renovate Liberty Tree Plaza including installation of a new elm tree. To learn more about the history of the Liberty Tree please visit the below web links:

Images used courtesy of Wordpress and Smithsonian.com

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/story-behind-forgotten-symbol-american-revolution-liberty-tree-180959162/

http://www.thefreedomtrail.org/educational-resources/article-liberty-tree.shtml

Tree Pruning Safety/ ISA Certified Arborists

 Anytime you are considering having your trees pruned remember to hire an ISA Certified Arborist with proper training and liability insurance. These are individuals/companies with the expertise and knowledge to best manage your tree canopy needs. Tree pruning is second only to electric utility work as one of the most hazardous occupations and should only be performed by those with the knowledge/experience to do it properly. However, should you choose to prune trees by yourself some common sense advice includes staying away from any tree within 15-30 feet of overhead utility lines, using proper protective equipment (hard hat, safety glasses, gloves, hearing protection, chaps etc.), using sharp and proper tools (don't use a machete to prune small tree branches, use hand pruners/lopper instead) and consult with an ISA Certified Arborist and or County Extension personnel with knowledge of proper tree pruning methods/techniques. Typically less is more when it comes to tree pruning and often times the only work needed is to remove deadwood/defects or to achieve clearance. When shortcuts are taken or you utilize an unlicensed/untrained individual or company bad things can happen. Please visit the links below to learn more about the consequences.

Images courtesy of Homestead Tree Service and Marin Independent Journal

http://fox8.com/2017/11/14/one-worker-killed-one-injured-while-trimming-tree-in-akron/

http://wbtw.com/2017/11/16/man-dies-after-falling-from-tree-in-socastee/

https://www.tcia.org/TCIA/Blog_Items/2016/An_Analysis_of_Civilian_Tree_Care_Accidents_in_2015.aspx

Veteran's Day and Tying a Yellow Ribbon Around An Oak Tree

In honor of our Veteran military heroes I thought I'd delve into history and write a bit about where the tie a yellow ribbon around a tree tradition came from. It has its most recent roots in a song from 1973 and how it related to the Iranian Hostage Crisis in 1979. The song was entitled "Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak tree" by Dawn. Since that time tying a yellow ribbon around an oak tree has become synonymous with supporting the military especially for troops stationed overseas. To learn more about the tradition and to support our troops I have included a link to the Yellow Ribbon Foundation and an article on the origins below.

http://www.yellowribbonfund.org/
https://wp.yellowribbonamerica.org/history-of-the-yellow-ribbon/

Halloween Lore as It Relates to Trees and Plants

As Halloween is right around the corner I thought it would be fun to bring some of it's tree/plant related history to the front. Many of us have Halloween traditions which have included trick or treating, pumpkin carving and putting up decorations in our trees and yards. But were you aware that most of these traditions are based in history dating back to the Romans and Celtics and the festivals of Samhain and Pamona which celebrated the harvest and Summer's end. Enjoy the below article which delves into much greater detail on the history of Halloween and the influence of trees.

http://www.learn2grow.com/gardeningguides/seasonalgardening/holiday/HalloweenPlantsLore.aspx

Another Example of Taking Extreme Measures to Preserve A Tree

Preservation of mature tree canopy is of utmost importance when developing a property site, as the elder statesmen add character and provide extensive environmental benefits. However, in some instances it is not feasible to preserve existing large canopy trees and tree relocation is an excellent alternative. Relocations of large "Specimen" type trees have always fascinated me. The most important factor is preserving as much of the root zone area as possible which can lead to a very heavy tree and complications with relocation logistics. In the below story a 200 year old green buttonwood tree weighing in excess of 48,000 lbs. is being relocated from private property to a City Park. This involves use of a heavy duty crane, significant root pruning and transportation by barge. A web link to the original article is included below:

Photograph Used Courtesy of Andres Leiva/Daily News

http://www.palmbeachdailynews.com/news/local/mighty-crane-needed-move-giant-tree-bradley-park-palm-beach/UcGoMJNV1cw68haQ75g4UP/