Run your hand across the bark of the ancient tree. It is craggy and weathered, splotched by moss and pale green lichens.
Now look up. You’re in the presence of a giant.
Scattered throughout East Texas are a handful of trees that have escaped the logging and clearing of the past 150 years. With help from a state program that identifies and protects the biggest of the big, many of them will still be here long after their current owners are gone.
“Big trees really capture people’s imaginations,” said Pete Smith, a Texas Forest Service employee who manages the state program called Big Tree Registry.
“Especially the biggest of the big, they really dwarf us, and I think there’s some connection that people have with the biggest trees. Of course, this is Texas, so the biggest of anything is noteworthy,” Smith said. “And finding a true champion really does spark the imagination because the tree is older than us, in all likelihood, and anything that lasts longer than a human’s lifespan we memorialize in some way.”
It’s worth noting that those saplings will grow into helpful giants that suck up carbon dioxide, release the oxygen that people breathe, hold soil in place, shade homes and provide habitat for wild animals, arborists say.
Many of the trees on the Big Tree Registry come from the counties surrounding Longview. By identifying the state’s largest pines, oaks and other species, the forest service aims to protect the arboreal specimens while sparking an interest and appreciation for trees.
“My goal is to bring these trees to the public so people can ultimately see them, if not touch them,” Smith said.
Of the nearly 20 champion trees in the Longview area, the winning loblolly pine, willow oak, wax myrtle and eastern redbud are profiled below.
LOBLOLLY PINE
Scientific name: Pinus taeda
Where: Rusk County
Circumference: 165 inches
Height: 130 feet
Crown spread: 49 feet
Measured: November 2008
Nominated by: Fred Spivey
Not long ago, Texas’ biggest loblolly pine tree on record was just one of many giant pines that grew in a forest near Mount Enterprise.
“I was raised up where that tree was,” said Fred Spivey, a Mount Enterprise timber grower. “I lived maybe four miles from there. We’d go in there and squirrel hunt with a shotgun, and those trees were so tall a shotgun wouldn’t shoot a squirrel at the top. But you could shoot it with a .22.”
By the time Spivey purchased the property in 1992, the giant pine was the only big tree left standing on the property.
“The guys that owned the land before that, they cut everything,” he said. “There could have been some trees just as big, but they cut everything. That was a shame. I would have saved all the big trees, but they done that before I bought the land. Lucky they didn’t cut this one.”
Spivey also owns the state’s No. 2 giant loblolly, on a different property in Mount Enterprise. The No. 1 tree, he estimates, is between 150 and 200 years old. He keeps the area trimmed and has planted timber around it, so it’s no longer alone in a clear-cut field.
“It worried me that lightning would strike it because it was standing by itself,” he said.
WILLOW OAK
Scientific name: Quercus phellos
Where: Harrison County
Trunk circumference: 244 inches
Height: 107 feet
Crown spread: 118 feet
Measured: August 2008
Nominated by: David Simpson
Before the Civil War, a willow oak grew on a cotton plantation in Karnack, where more than 100 slaves toiled for a pioneer woman and likely divorcee named Rebecca McIntosh Hagerty.
Later, Lady Bird Johnson’s family owned the property, known as the Phoenix plantation, and the tree continued to grow.
Today, it’s the largest known willow oak in Texas, with limbs so big they could pass for trees in their own right. Owner David Simpson estimates the oak is around 200 years old.
“It’s just a mammoth tree. It covers almost two acres of ground,” said Simpson, a timber grower who purchased the property in 2002. “We all speculate that this big old tree was probably a hanging tree at one time. Its big and low-lying limbs would suit a quick rope and noose, but that’s just pure speculation.”
The Hagerty family’s remains are buried in a little cemetery near the tree, not far from a historic barn that Simpson has converted into a lodge for his family.
When a tree doctor left a rope hanging from the oak, Simpson turned it into a swing.
“My children love to swing on it,” he said. “It’s a very enjoyable tree. It provides a lot of shade and causes you to speculate about what happened in the previous 200 years.”
WAX MYRTLE (SOUTHERN BAYBERRY)
Scientific name: Morella cerifera
Where: Gregg County
Trunk circumference: 17 inches
Height: 29 feet
Crown spread: 18 feet
Measured: July 2006
Nominated by: Dencil Marsh
Dencil Marsh was exploring a forest one day when he stumbled upon an oddly shaped tree growing in a depression on 30 acres that had been set aside for the Longview Arboretum and Gardens.
It was a wax myrtle tree, and it dwarfed the others he has seen.
“It’s a shrub or bushy tree that every rancher in East Texas tries to get rid of,” said Marsh, the arboretum founder.
“It’s a nuisance to every farmer in East Texas.”
Later, Marsh showed the wax myrtle to Stephen F. Austin State University horticulturist Dave Creech, who was in town while developing a master plan for the arboretum, which is next to the Maude Cobb Convention and Activity Center.
“He said, ‘Golly, Dencil, that’s the biggest one I’ve ever seen. That might be some kind of record.’ ”
Texas Forest Service employees went out to measure it, and sure enough, it was the biggest.
“Right now we’ve got the bragging rights,” Marsh said. “Now, it’s not much of a tree, but it’s not much of a bush, either.”
EASTERN REDBUD
Scientific name: Cercis canadensis var. canadensis
Where: Upshur County
Trunk circumference: 78 inches
Height: 42 feet
Crown spread: 40 feet
Measured: April 1997
Nominated by: Marie Johnson
The state’s biggest redbud is a reminder that even champions grow old and die. State forester Ken Conaway of Gilmer checked on the redbud in Ore City a week ago and found that time has taken its toll on the tree. It is no longer the magnificent specimen it was in 1997, when Marie Johnson nominated it.
“There is another contender for the title in Smith County, and I suspect it may declared the champion soon,” Conaway said in an e-mail.
2,972 responses to “Forest giants weather age, development”
Everything is very open with a very clear description of the issues. It was definitely informative. Your site is very helpful. Many thanks for sharing.
This page definitely has all the info I needed about this subject and didn’t know who to ask.
Thanks for your handy post. Over time, I have come to be able to understand that the symptoms of mesothelioma are caused by a build up connected fluid between lining in the lung and the torso cavity. The disease may start in the chest location and get distributed to other areas of the body. Other symptoms of pleural mesothelioma cancer include fat reduction, severe breathing in trouble, temperature, difficulty eating, and irritation of the neck and face areas. It must be noted that some people having the disease don’t experience any kind of serious signs or symptoms at all.
Having read this I believed it was extremely informative. I appreciate you taking the time and effort to put this information together. I once again find myself personally spending a lot of time both reading and posting comments. But so what, it was still worthwhile.
It’s difficult to find experienced people about this subject, however, you seem like you know what you’re talking about! Thanks
This is the perfect blog for anyone who really wants to understand this topic. You understand a whole lot its almost tough to argue with you (not that I actually would want to…HaHa). You certainly put a fresh spin on a topic that’s been written about for years. Excellent stuff, just excellent.
This is a good tip particularly to those fresh to the blogosphere. Short but very precise information… Thanks for sharing this one. A must read article!
Great site you have got here.. It’s hard to find high quality writing like yours nowadays. I truly appreciate people like you! Take care!!
Aw, this was a really good post. Finding the time and actual effort to make a very good article… but what can I say… I put things off a lot and never seem to get nearly anything done.
Howdy! I could have sworn I’ve visited this blog before but after going through a few of the articles I realized it’s new to me. Anyhow, I’m certainly delighted I came across it and I’ll be book-marking it and checking back regularly.
hello!,I like your writing very much! share we communicate more about your post on AOL? I require a specialist on this area to solve my problem. May be that’s you! Looking forward to see you.
I believe that avoiding processed foods may be the first step to help lose weight. They will taste great, but prepared foods contain very little nutritional value, making you feed on more just to have enough energy to get over the day. If you’re constantly eating these foods, switching to whole grain products and other complex carbohydrates will help you have more vigor while feeding on less. Great blog post.
This is a good tip particularly to those fresh to the blogosphere. Short but very accurate info… Many thanks for sharing this one. A must read article!
Very good post! We are linking to this particularly great content on our website. Keep up the great writing.
That is a good tip particularly to those new to the blogosphere. Brief but very accurate information… Many thanks for sharing this one. A must read post.
Way cool! Some extremely valid points! I appreciate you writing this post plus the rest of the site is really good.
Greetings! Very helpful advice within this article! It’s the little changes which will make the most significant changes. Thanks for sharing!
You made some really good points there. I checked on the internet for more info about the issue and found most individuals will go along with your views on this website.
Aw, this was an exceptionally nice post. Taking the time and actual effort to generate a superb article… but what can I say… I procrastinate a lot and don’t seem to get nearly anything done.
After I originally left a comment I appear to have clicked on the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get 4 emails with the same comment. Perhaps there is a means you can remove me from that service? Cheers.
After looking into a number of the articles on your site, I honestly like your way of blogging. I book-marked it to my bookmark webpage list and will be checking back in the near future. Take a look at my web site as well and tell me how you feel.
Hello there, I found your site via Google while searching for a related topic, your web site came up, it looks great. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.
Hi! I just would like to give you a big thumbs up for the excellent info you have here on this post. I’ll be returning to your blog for more soon.
I love your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you make this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you? Plz answer back as I’m looking to create my own blog and would like to know where u got this from. thank you
I couldn’t refrain from commenting. Very well written.
I believe this is among the so much significant information for me. And i’m glad reading your article. However should remark on few common things, The web site style is wonderful, the articles is in reality nice : D. Good job, cheers
Pretty! This has been an extremely wonderful article. Many thanks for providing this info.
I blog often and I really appreciate your information. This great article has truly peaked my interest. I will take a note of your blog and keep checking for new information about once a week. I subscribed to your RSS feed as well.
Pretty nice post. I just stumbled upon your weblog and wanted to say that I have truly enjoyed browsing your weblog posts. After all I will be subscribing for your feed and I hope you write again soon!
Having read this I thought it was rather enlightening. I appreciate you finding the time and energy to put this information together. I once again find myself personally spending a lot of time both reading and leaving comments. But so what, it was still worthwhile.
Thanks for sharing superb informations. Your site is so cool. I’m impressed by the details that you?ve on this web site. It reveals how nicely you perceive this subject. Bookmarked this website page, will come back for extra articles. You, my pal, ROCK! I found simply the information I already searched all over the place and simply couldn’t come across. What a great website.
This is a topic that’s near to my heart… Many thanks! Exactly where are your contact details though?
Everyone loves it when individuals come together and share opinions. Great blog, stick with it!
Aw, this was a very good post. Taking the time and actual effort to generate a good article… but what can I say… I hesitate a lot and never manage to get nearly anything done.
Hello my friend! I want to say that this post is amazing, nice written and include almost all vital infos. I?d like to see more posts like this.
Spot on with this write-up, I absolutely feel this site needs much more attention. I’ll probably be back again to read more, thanks for the information!
Thank you for another informative blog. Where else may I get that kind of info written in such an ideal approach? I have a mission that I’m just now running on, and I’ve been on the look out for such info.
Thanks for your publication on the vacation industry. I will also like to add that if you are one senior taking into consideration traveling, it really is absolutely crucial to buy traveling insurance for golden-agers. When traveling, senior citizens are at biggest risk of having a professional medical emergency. Having the right insurance cover package for one’s age group can protect your health and provide peace of mind.
There is certainly a great deal to learn about this topic. I love all the points you made.
I have learned a number of important things by means of your post. I would also like to convey that there may be a situation where you will apply for a loan and don’t need a co-signer such as a Fed Student Aid Loan. However, if you are getting credit through a traditional lender then you need to be willing to have a co-signer ready to assist you. The lenders can base any decision over a few factors but the most significant will be your credit standing. There are some financial institutions that will furthermore look at your work history and come to a decision based on this but in many instances it will hinge on your score.
Thanks for this article. I would also like to talk about the fact that it can be hard when you find yourself in school and merely starting out to initiate a long credit ranking. There are many pupils who are merely trying to make it through and have long or positive credit history are often a difficult factor to have.
Everything is very open with a really clear explanation of the issues. It was definitely informative. Your website is very useful. Thanks for sharing.
It is really a nice and helpful piece of information. I am glad that you shared this helpful info with us. Please keep us up to date like this. Thanks for sharing.
You’ve made some decent points there. I looked on the internet to find out more about the issue and found most individuals will go along with your views on this website.
Your style is unique compared to other people I have read stuff from. I appreciate you for posting when you have the opportunity, Guess I’ll just book mark this site.
Hey there! I simply would like to give you a huge thumbs up for the great info you have got right here on this post. I’ll be coming back to your site for more soon.
Magnificent items from you, man. I have bear in mind your stuff prior to and you are simply extremely great. I really like what you have acquired right here, really like what you’re saying and the way in which during which you are saying it. You are making it entertaining and you continue to care for to keep it wise. I cant wait to read far more from you. This is actually a wonderful website.
After looking over a number of the blog posts on your blog, I honestly like your technique of blogging. I saved as a favorite it to my bookmark webpage list and will be checking back soon. Please visit my website as well and let me know your opinion.
This is a good tip especially to those fresh to the blogosphere. Brief but very accurate info… Many thanks for sharing this one. A must read article.
As I site possessor I believe the content material here is rattling wonderful , appreciate it for your efforts. You should keep it up forever! Good Luck.