11922000FR 0294rdw RANK. PAUL & CINDY I WVHC President NON-PROFIT ORG. HC 78 BOX 227 U.S. POSTAGE ROCK CAVE WV 26234 PAID PERMIT NO. 2831 CHAS., WV 25301
Published by the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy Vol. 27, No.2- March 1994 North Fork Mountain Old Growth by Robert Stough weathered pines and oaks, the main When we think of old-growth constituents of the old forest that forests we often envision towering grows in concert with the wild, roc:ky trees reaching far into the sky, their swnmit lofty crowns lwninous in the sun and Whether or not one can refer casting a deep yet clear shade on the to this forest as completely old. mossy forest floor. From the tiny growth is problematical, as is typical remnants that are left to us it is of most old-growth fragments. obvious that many areas of the Great Certainly there were extensive Forest of the Appalachians would logging operations on North Fork that have been something like that. But ravaged much ofthe original forest there are other remnants of old on the mountain. Most of the actual forests that are quite different, those crest ofthe mountain, however, in principally fouod in the vicinity of the area in question shows virtually large rock outcroppings that were no evidence of serious disturbmce. rugged enough to tum beck even the This is not surprising in view of the gR:ed of the robber baronS. The great fact that most of the trees are small majority of these areas are quite and stunted., and would De'o"er have small, generally a few acres of less, been worth tlx: trouble tD log out. But and thus are :rather like biological rqa:rdless ofbovt ooe miabt c:las.ify old- ~~i;\!~6c ... ithu retained tts Pf'imevill Wfittness and a few rare exceptions to this rille, remarkAble dh·ersity of species, wbcre the land \\'85 so rugged and which are, it teemS 10 me, abe 11101t v.ild that it could not be profitably salient parameters for determining exploited, and thus was able to the relative signffiamcc of a tract of origioal eastern Forest. There are, for with Chestnut, Black, and Bear Oaks usually found oo northern seaooasts. maintain some acmblaDce of its forest. This is especially true in a example. eight different species of predominatmg, along with many red It is the glaciers that most original ecological integrity. One of 'dwarf' forest such as the North Fork conifers growing on or near the crest and white oaks. Other hardwood likely played a major role towards the most outstanding of these areas SllliiUUt, where tree sizes are much The dominants are the bard pines", species include sugar and red encouraging the present diversity of is found on the crest of North Fork smaller and life spans shorter for pitch pines, virginia pines and maples, tuliptrees, cherries, walnuts, North Fork. During the last ice age it Motmtain, in particular the summit most species due to the harsh mountain pines often gnarled and yellow birch 8Dd even a few white was of course much colder than it is ridge frcm the Fire Tower Rd. (FR. environment of the roc:ky crest twisted by the canyon \\inds.. birch which have """'9"" to sumve today 8Dd there was tundra on the 79) north to the Hapeville Gorge. North Fork Mountain is Scattered 11JD001 these are abo some bee since the last ice • · u~ high Alleghenies. The North Fork North Fork, as many readers are located at a kind ofgeological and red piDes Cld \\4U1e piDes, small ry species are a1Jo quite diverse, summit likewise would have been aware. is one of the most unique and climatological crossroeds in the gnna ofhcmlocb mainly 00 the including mountain laurel, rbododc:n much colder then, but ifs lower spectacular features of the West Appalachian range; and, that, oartherly cxposura, 8Dd a few dron, dogwood, redbud, sourwood, elevation would have precluded Virginia highlands, and indeed the combined with the wide variety of c:tisjuDct red cedars 00 the upper azalea, witch hazel, and, even, a little permafrost conditions, thus allowing entire Appelachian I'IUJ8C. Long habitats that the J.DOUDtain's configu eastern face ofthe mountain, further south (and higher) on the species extirpated from the Alleghe sections ofi1s crest area crowned by ration encourages has resulted in and disjuncts from the extensive cedar tDOUDtain a colony of beach-heath, · nies to colonize there. (su page 5) magnificent outaoppings of 500 intcrwcaving of species from groves on Cave Mountain. Hard million-year-old tuJcarora sandstone, practically the entire extent of the woods include a yeat variety of oaks, many ofwhich are great VBlllting cliffs that offer some of the most
My uame is Bill. I've been proofing at 3 am is rough. I got The first time I called John we your editor now for a year. Maggie exhausted and sick and refused to put talked for an hour lD the half dozen and I moved to West Virginia 19 out another paper till matters times fve called him I al\\'B)'S get years ago to live off the land. We still improved. WVHC had set aside more information then 1 thought 1 do, sort of. We cook and heat with money to purchase a computer last wanted. He designed one that would wood. We plough and haul with our year. but I knew that I couldn't power run on SO to 70 watts. I fi.nally was workhorse. We grow most of our own a regular desktop computer during sold and after consulting "ith the food and we get our electricity from the dark winter months. For a few computer committee, I had John the sun. months each winter the family build us one. I like the fact that I can Well, you do too (at least the spends the evenings sitting together easily get ahold of the fellow that part that doesn't come from nuclear reading by one 30 watt fluorescent designed and built our computer. fission). Yours comes from the sun light. I tried to convince myself that Since rve had it though, rve had no via ancient fern swamps, peabody the Conservancy could use a laptop. I reason to call him (yet). coal, and eppelachian pow!:r (or consjdered buying/borrowing a gas The Machine some variant). Ours comes through powered generator to supplement in For all you computer nerds photo voltaic panels mounted on the the winter. But the same philosophi (like me), here's what it has ..an IDM roof of our three stoJy log cabin. cal reasons I got off the grid in the 'green' motherboard (with power Compared to ours, yours is cheap, first place, restrained me from going management capabilities like a plentiful, and dirty. Not that solar that route now. laptop), a 486SLC SO mHz, SLC co panels and lead acid batteries are I called Steve Willey of processor, 8 megs RAM, 255 meg pure. .Backwoods Cabin Solar Electric hard dnve, 2 floppies (send me your About eight years ago 1 bought (from whom fd bought panels and an articles on S 114 or 3 112), local bus Apo osies an Apple llc, because it drew only 2S inverter years ago) about a small, VESA SVGA video with I meg video watts and could be nm directly from build-it~yerself generator he had memory, 1024 by 768 blw monitor. to Norm Steenstra for the I could figure out which one was for our storage batteries. My son, Oak, designed (wi1h aS horse power It makes working with Aldus awkward title I gave his piece last me that way. He used ONE to bought a laptop because it used about motor and a car alternator). In the Pagemalcer a breeze. month. You see a funny thing signify it was for the first issue of 30 watts. I have been using his conversation I asked about computers Green Scam happened on the way to the word Volume 27. Anyway I missed it all computer for most of my tenure as and he told me about the fellow that While browsing in Walden processor. Nonn is beginnmg to and used the file name for the article editor. lbwould just about finish it designed and built his - John books last month I saw that WIRED enter the computer age and now title (it was way late at night). If any up here at home and then go to Osborne of Air Castle Computers. (a techno, cyper punk rag) listed writes his article on his computer at of you are aware of how conscien Charleston and use WVCAG's John has been building low wattage 'Green Computers' as the scam of the work and saves it on his one disk. tious Norm is, in trying to not be computer and laser printer to ftnish it computers for three years. He has month. They were especially irate He11 just leave it on his desk for me singled out as the 'voice of the up and print it out - camera ready. tested the power draw of numerous about mM using the introduction of to pick up and use when I finally environmentalists' and how he Oak had the gall to actually monitors, printers, motherboards, there (very expensive) 'green energy make it into CAG to finish the encourages others to speak out and take his computer to college with him chips, cards, power supplies.. .He has stat computer to appear environmen VOICE. As all his files for all the think for themselves, you might last fall, and I ended up trying to put just recently been hired by a major tally friendly, while they are causing papers he writes for, are on this one understand how upset he was by my the paper together during two all manufacturer to design and test low considerable pollution from the disk (be bas but one), he named his lousy choice for the title. Again, nighters at CAG. It wasn't any fun - power designs. production of the com- (see page 4) file VOICE ONE. realizing that even amigo, I apologize - bill r + The Highlands Voice, March 1994 - Page 4 SJ?otomac ~naer q)istPict - fX.ononaafte[a %tiona[ ~oPest Commercial Hone Trips; Dolly Sods North (#59.001}, permit The decision. .. S OAs (the DeHaven Search, ResCIIe and Survival Decision date 3/94, Implementation same five as the horse outfitters Training in Dolly Sods Wilderness 4/94, Contact Julie Foster. special use permit}. Comments due Osceola Project Area and other Special Biological Aretu? Seneca Rocks Outfitter 4/94, Decision Date 6194, Implemen Vegetation Management/ TimiHring and grazing on our Guide tation 7/94 recreatioo/wildlife. Timber Harvest forests? Is thalw.ant YOU wanJ? Pay Special Use and management, recreation aJtention. Lou ofJolla want to liSe The district has four applica J.atentate Logg1ag Road projects. fisheries and wildlife your National Forut. Find out what tions for outfitter-guide permits for Special Use Permit projects, and related support they lMlnL To accompany Robert climbing activities at Seneca Rocks. Interstate logging company activities such as road and trail Stough's fine article on North Fork These applicants and many others wisbes to use and improve an construction. Osceola OA (153.009), Mountam in the Potomac Ranger currently use the rocks. The Forest existing road across FS land in order Deciston date 8194, Implementation District, I tlwught I'd reprint some of Service plans to review the impacts to remove timber frmllands they 10194, Contact Sara Schell the projects listed in their Quarterly of rock climbing and other uses on own. This aualysis will examine the Report for that district. What's the rocks and adjacent environment, effects of issuing such a permit, Clwlle Sites Allotment, Andy wilderness for anyway? Enjoy... .. determine ifthere is a carrying including the effects on threatened Champs, Dry Fork Range Allot capacity, and if so how to manage and endangered species on the ments Red Creek Stables Outfitter Guide use to protect the affected environ private land. The decision to ... Range management. The Forest Special use Permit ment. The decision. ... Seneca Rocks Osceola OA (#53.009), Pig's Ear Service will be preparing allotment The owners of Red Creek OA (#57.001 }, Decision date 6/94, (136.112), Rich Mountain (#33.004) management plans for these Stables have approached the forest ImpleQlentation 7/94, Contact Sara Decision Date 3/94, Implementation allotments. As pert of the plans the service for pennission to rent hones Schell 4/94, Contact Richard Vanderhoot. effects of proposed management an and lead rides in the Dolly Sods alternatives will be analyzed. Grant, area. This analysis will examine the Frederick Community College Grasty Mountain Project A.rea Pendleton (Briggs Run OA effects of issuing such a permit. The Outfitter-Guide Vegetation Managetnent/ (f56.106}) and Randolph Counties. decision of whether or not to issue Special Use Pcnnit recreation/wildlife. Timber Harvest Decision Date 4/94, Implementation Red Creek stables a pe:nnit and Frederick Commlmity College and management. recreation 5194 1lJlder what conditions, if any, will be bas approached the Forest Service for projects, fishenes and wildlife for rrwre info ctdl or write based on the infonnation learned in permission to conduct search, rescue projects, and related support Potom« R1111go District the analysis. Weirs Knob OA and survival training in the Dolly acti,'ities such as road and trail 257-#11 (#58.03 I), Red Creek (#56.102), Flat Sods area. This analysis \\ill construction. Decision date 10/93, HCS9&xUO Rock-Roaring Plains (#56.203), examine the effects of issuing such a Implementation 1194, Contact Lany Petenblll'f, WV 26U7
c1imllc ...DIGDeJ ttill~tit ffrr-,..~) Ifspin doctors can make day, this could well be the next level issues like "takings" and "parity" of duping and duplicity. appear innocuous or attractive to So, beware the IDES OF legislators and any significant portion MARCHI of the population, I cringe to think Ifyou thought things were what disasters IRR (Initiative, on the upswing, that somehow a new Referendum and Recall) might bring. consciousness had swept over the Even an idea that sounds like a land, you had better take offthose wonderful v.wld of good government, rose colored glasses and return to the troe democracy and people power, is tedium of microscopic examination subject to the whims of those in of all that is laid before you. control of determining how much and Discerning fact from fiction and truth what kind of infonnation will be from tall tales may be a more available to the public at large, In a demanding task today than it ever has been before. <•
9reen rfrompageJJ neighbor's to charge them up more pulers and chips.lt is true that if we than once (and it hasn't been easy replaced the incandescent tight bulbs with the foot of snow). Actually as I in our homes with flucrescents, we'd was writing this article the first time save ten times as much power as if (without saving periodically), the we bought green computers. And battery got low enough so that the we'd save ten times more still if we inverter (changes 12 volt de to 120 switched to the most fuel efficient volt ac) kicked off and I lost the cars or stopped beating and cooking whole article. I hooked up another Glaze storms such as these are nature's way ofcreating openings with electric. battery and jumped back in. enabling But the truth is, that around the feature of Microsoft Word that here watts are very precious. I just automatically saves your work for can't nm a desktop and monitor with you every 5 minutes. Public lancls 5tri~ ~h~w a usual power draw of 100 to 200 So I bought a hydro plant from (from page 3) reclaimed, and current entity ~d rts puppets. Buckeye Forest Council watts. Actually on this planet, watts Steve Willey. Just as soon as I can strip-mines scar the state, while ~-)In this case the 'government' . 5107 Olentangy River Rd are very precious. And the unconsid get the horse out to haul up the 500 thousands of miles of streams run, mcludes the Department of Justice Columbus45157 ered and considerable use of power is foot of PLASTIC pipe, I'll hook it up degraded or lifeless with the poisons acting on behalf of the Office of Maybe I should apologize for includ causing acid rain. acid mine and have plenty of power as long as of the mining trade.' Public lands Surface Mining and the US Forest ing a story about the National Forest drainage, strip mines and general it rains. Now back to saving the were created to restore the land and Service. in Ohio. On the other hand, citizens ugliness. earth..... to offer refuge from devastating 2.) F~r instance, ~ the 80 acre. in Ohio are getting active in The Hydro Plant One month later. I didn't need practices such as mining. We must J~ tract there 1s a reservati~ protecting their Forut and I don't Actually even with a green this article for the last issue, actually work to see that this protection is not Wlthin the~ that.prevents JJl.ID.Ul8 have any news ofWVForut Activists computer, I still don't have enough receiving .5 article.s on disks!!l This violated and that the rights of other unless the ~~ ~ghts h~lder doing anything for the Monongahela, power in winter to nm it for the 20 to month 171 type it all and wrile a good species and of future generations are meets certain cnte:na. Belville ofcourse ifyou are doing something, 30 hours it takes to put the VOICE bit ofit so 1 have room for this. We upheld over and defended from the Mining meets none of the criteria. + I certainlyapologiu, why don't you together. So far this winter I've jiUI got the hydro planJ norning and imaginary right of an exploitative You can contact Joe at send me an article about iL (• hauled batteries the mile to our I am ruing it now. <- The Highlands Voice, March 1994 - Page 5 North Fork Mountain
(fom page 1) As the climate warmed SWU! (and those who exploit wild generally harsher environment, lengths to account for all contingen critical to our species of even the and the great glaciers receded the places frequently do so) that such a wtrich factors greatly exacerbate soil cies as a result of their timber species that now live there. But it is composition of the forest naturally condition is perfectly naturaL This erosion following d.i.sturbances. extraction. We are told of benefits to of the ubnost importance to those underwent considerable changes, and contention, however, ignores the fact I know that most of the local economies (subsidized individual beings that call the some species, black spruce and jack that natural changes in biodiversity information in the preceding clearcuts), benefits to local govern mountain home. It is our concern for pine, for example, were extirpated within any given area almost always paragraph will not be news to readers ments (more tax dollars for them to such individuals that will ultimately from the range and replaced by more occur in time frames that must be of the VOICE, but it apparently waste), benefits to recreation (more determine our own fate. The era of southernly species. Some northern measured in centuries and millennia. needs to be said again and again, ORV routes and 'wildlife' openings), management by numbers, of what the species, however, having established Any more rapid changes than this, by because extensive clearcut logging benefits to the forest itself (greater Forest Service condescendingly niches in the forest ecosystems going whatever agents, are nearly certain to operations have and will be taking numben of individual species, i.e. refers to as 'opportunity areas' must back uncounted millennia were have a diminishing effect upon place on the eastern face ofNorth weeds in clearcuts) but somehow we come to an end. It is not that the probably able to swvive in viable species diversity. This effect may be Fork as part ofthe Forest Service's are never told what is happening to taking of other lives, both plant and numbers until virtually ~e entire temporarily masked by an influx of multiple-use master plan. One such whole ecosystems, wtrich is that they animal, for the survival ofhumans is forest was destroyed by the logging weed species and exotics in the early dearcut, done in 1987 only a few are being slowly weakened piece by wrong, but what is terribly wrong is madness of the late 12th and early swx:essional stages foiJowing a major bQDdred feet below the crest of tbe piece, wtrich unravels and will our perverted attitude that we have 20th centuries. One must say disturbance such as clearcutting, but mountain on a very steep slope has ultimately destroy the finely-woven the right to use the earth however we probably because the species there is an ultimate impoverishment had predictable results: there bas tapestry of thousands of years of choose, with little of no regard for diversity of the original forest of the ofmany species endemic to climax been obviously substantial soU Forest evolution. As with so many the lives we are ending. This has West Virginia highlands is at best forests that apparently persists for at erorton aad very poor forest other areas in the Appalachian range, already resulted in a widespread poorly known. least several hundred years, or in regeaenatioa consistiag almost the only appropriate management breakdown of spiritual and moral What is clear, though, from the other words, until the forest regains entirely of stunted heaths aad plan for North Fork Mountain is to values, which is clearly in large remnants of old-growth that have its full symbiotic balance. '- stump-tucken. The Forest Service leave it alone. measure because of our exploitive survived is that the Monongahela Achieving such a balance is response has been to plant seedlings The last, and to my mind most treatment ofmother Gaia. And that is Forest must have been an even more critically dependent upon having protected by tubes and continue important, reason for the preservation why the full protection of such wild diverse ecosystem than it is today. trees in all stages of both growth and clearcutting farther along the of North Fork cannot be caged up and places as North Fork Mountain is The presence of red pine and white decay. For instance, it has become mountain. Thus the Forest Service is quantified by its value to homo vital to our own future, that we are birch on North Fork Mountain offers widely recognized in recent years sl~wly but surely degrading the sapiens, and yet is something that we finally able to make friends with the compelling evidence for such that the long-term health ofForest ecological integrity of the entire will surely perish for the lack of. It is land, and sc \vith Ollf"'..elves. •:. speculation, as do the ghosts of ecosystems is inextricably linked to mountain, including the spectacular the ineffable and yet indispensable wolves, cougars and golden eagles - the presence of substantial amounts summit ridge, and tangentially qua.ities of primeval wildness that top predators, who by most accounts of standing dead trees and fallen threatening its ancient but fragile places such as the North Fork Graphics Credits were relatively abundant in the dead wood. the 'over-mature forest community, which is one of the encourage and nurture. It is in the Photos on page 1 and 5 highlands before their habitats were decadence' of foresters' jargon. Thus most unique temperate forest v.ings of the peregrine falcon destroyed or they were shot as any disturbance that interferes with associations in the world. What is at sv.-ooping past in the evening - Robert Stough vermin. It is true that eagles and the transformation processes of these stake here is more than just the twilight, ravens playing with each Photos on page 4 and 7 cougars are still occasionally seen in vital forest components must result in acreage of trees to be cut, for we other, their crazy croaking echoing i=- _ - Maggie H~nnes~ the mountains. but these are-dearly the impoverishment ofthe local already lalow that old for~ ~~cliffs, theDIIJTowed at present no more than a remnant ecosystem. .Indeed, perhaps the single c:odDIUIIities suDounded by exploited ~'e5 ofthe rattfesnakes dreaming in Drawings"'lt,.-g!"'4f lUlU 0 population. Some hint of the original most .important element of forest land become is.land habitats whose the morning sun, moonlight glinting -Liz Plazo numbers of the eagle may be gleaned regeneration, soil-building, is biodiversity is inexorably diminished offthe black bear's fur, dawn wind Drawing on page 3 by remembering Maurice Brooks, in seriousiy retarded by modern by pressures from generalized 'weed' keening in the branches ofth .e his book 'The Appalachians', saying exploitative practices that not only species. ancient pines.... - Vince Packard that he had once seen seven golden remove most of the trees needed for That logging is taking place at That at least a few places such Drawing on page 6 eagles in the air over North Fork, and future soils but usually also disturb all on the diy rocky slopes of North as the North Fork swnmit exist at all - Robert Leverett on his many trips to the mountain the existing soils sufficiently to Fork is indicative of the usuaJ m}·opic is reason enough for hope these days, had seldom failed to record eagle destroy the micro-communities multiple-use practices that the Forest but it ought to be obvious that we sightings. necessary for healthy forest recovery. Service continues to cling to can't continue biting chunks out of Ivory Billed (from pag~ 8) The current ecological state of And montane ecosystems such as regardless of the ultimate effect of the mountain and expect it to retain closely related hnperial woodpecker North Fork. is, then, like virtually all North Fork Mountain are the most · such practices on the wild ecosys its special qualities. Although at 22 inches length was the largest of other ecosystems in the Appala severely impacted of all owing to the tems under their control. The Forest multiple-users have long denied it, all. A denizen of the mature moun chians, in a state of flux. One may steep and usually rocky slopes and Service contends that it goes to great the truth is that a wild mountain tain forests of the Sierra Madre, it cannot be all things to all species The became extinct at almost the same resilience of the Appalachian forests time as the Ivory BiiJed. is legendary but what is often Even though by 1900 it was forgotten is that they do not repro even more rare then the California duce themselves as they were before Condor, the Ivory Billed was the exploitation. The forest oftoday is most studied of aU rare birds. Over very different form the original old 400 specimens remain in musewns. grov;th, which is now gone forever, Their strength and endurance are except for the few tiny jewels that legend among students of the bird. escaped the maw of the industrial An Alexander Wilson wrote revolution. Whether even these about one he wounded and kept in survive much longer is now depen his hotel room. "In Jess than an hour I dent primarily on the state of our returned, and, on opening my door he human culture, that is, have we set up a distressing shout, which gro\\11 enough as a species to respect appeared to proceed from grief that and cherish the lives of other beings he had been discovered in his who have no economic value to us, attempts to escape. He had mounted or, conversely, have a great deal of along the side of the window, nearly value that we choose to forego as high as the ceiling. a little below extracting because to do so would which he began to break through. mean the degradation of a wild The bed was covered with large ecosystem. pieces of plaster, the lathe was What is clear is that we cannot exposed for at least 15 square inches have it both ways. Our own quality of and a whole, large enough to admit life will be determined by the level the fist, opened to the weather of our concern for the quality of other boards, so that in Jess than another species' lives. The North Fork hour he certainly would have summit is obviously not a large area, succeeded in making his way The Work ofthe US Forest Service not far from the crest ofNorth Fork Mountain nor is its destruction or preservation through." + The Highlands Voice, March 1994 - Page 6 Uriodendron tulipifero - by Robert Leverett per year from which bees produce up to 4 Boemeins's American Forests article, "Redis equaled in height. it would likely be by the 52 Fairchild Ave. pounds of honey. The outline ofthe leaf also covering the Yellow Poplar" (commercially, I American Sycamores that once grew in the 17o~.At401040 suggests a tulip. The Tuliptree fruits in might add), use ofthe Tuliptree reached an all Ohio and Tennessee River valleys. This piece is from the most recent issue September. Few seeds are fertile; less than 10 time peak in 1899 and experienced another Prior to 1967, the national champion ofWILD EARTH. Some ofyou may recognize percent can reproduce. The leaves are 4 to 6 peak in 1950. The Tuliptree has accounted for Tuliptree grew in Annapolis, Maryland. It the author's name from two other articles I've inches long and equally wide with 3 or 4 lobes. only 9% of hardwood production since 1960, measured 26 feet 6 inches in circumference. but included in the VOICE by him The leaves turn a brilliant. uniform yellow each but is now being heavily promoted by the US was a mere 83 feet in height a field spreader. Many of us bold fond memories of fall. The vivid hue rivals the Plains Cotton Forest Service and some state agencies. In 1967 Paul Thompson, a famous big tree favorite trees we climbed, swung from. or sat wood and Quaking Aspen ofthe Rockies. The Growth Characteristics hunter fotm Michigan, crovmed a new national beneath in our youth. These memories become bark ofold Tuliptrees is smooth and gray to The Tuliptree is light-loving and can champion tuliptree: girth 19 feet 3 inches, magnified through the lens of childhood gray-brown. Older trees develop rounded ridges repopulate old fields in the southern part or its height 176 feet, spread 112 feet The current imagination. But there is one tree that needs no and deep, perpendicular finrows, The outer range like White Pine in the Northeast. It national champion, the third largest tree in the boost fotm youthful reveries. I speak of bark of truly old trees drops offleaving a flat. achieves and maintains dominance .in the East, grows near Bedford, VA Its girth is 23 Liriodendron tulipifera. Lord of the Appala smooth surface. canopy by outgrowing its competitors. The first feet; height 146 feet, crown spread 125 feet chian Coves. The Tuliptree can seed as early as 13 year it is likely to grow about half a foot. Those looking for impressive tuliptrees Physical properties years of age, though more commonly it begins Thereafter it can grow up to 3 feet per year for need not travel far. Within its range. respect Liriodendron tulipifera is no ordinary bearing seeds between age 15 and 20. Its wood a number of years. One 58 year old specimen in able specimens can be found in yards and city tree. As reported by Harriet Keeler in her artful is soft, straight~grained, and relatively light (25 North Carolina was measured at 114 feet parks. Even in the extremes of its range, 1900 publication, Our Native Trees, the lblcubic foot). The wood has a higher strength Under competition with other species, the Liriodendron may exceed 100 feet in height and tuliptree is a genus of a single species. Keeler to weight ratio than most other hardwoods - tuloptree tends to maintain a central leader and 3 feet in diameter, but the real giants are fO\Dld explained that "'n the Cretaceous age the genus rivaling some of the important softwoods. The simply out grows its competitors. As a youth, I in the areas ofold growth possessing terrain W!lS represented by several species, and was heartwood is light yellow to brovm. Medullary observed a White Pine and Tuliptree growing favorable to the species. Widely distributed over North America and rays are small and inconspicuous. The sapwood side by side in a nearby field. These equally For several years, I have been collecting Europe. Its remains are found in tertiary rock. is creamy. In some stands the heartwood is also proud species were neck and neck throughout data on sizes and ages reached in the past by One species alone survived the glacial ice, and creamy, hence the common names White the 10 year period that I watched them locked Eastern in-forest trees of various species, with this is found only in eastern North America and Poplar and Whitewood. the wood in these latter in their race for dominance. • the intention of comparing them to those western China." Liriodendron tulipifera's only stands is inexplicably softer than that found in Although the Tuliptree likes sunshine, growing in todays environment. I search for the close living relative was discovered in China in stands with darker heartwood; a mystery the species lives long and persists in the shaded exceptional trees. Knowing the limits to whiGb 1875. perhaps associated with soil or climate. coves of the Southern Appalachians. Estimates these woody towers grow may help us under Liriodendron tulipifera is knovm by a USES of the ages of the oldest Tuliptrees in the Great stand if our incessantly meddlesome activities variety of common names spelled in different The Tuliptree : >wellknovm in the Smoky Mountains are on the order of 500 are reducing the vitality ofthe forest and ways: Tuliptree, Tulip-tree, Tulip Poplar, and lumber industry. The wood has been described years. It is not clear how these estimates were turning once majestic species into runts. I have Yellow Poplar (as it is inappropriately called as: straight-grained, resistant to splitting. derived, but solid data support a longevity of been concentrating on the White Pine, Eastern by the lumber industry) are the most common. W!Uping, and shrinking; holding of nails well; over 350 years for old trees. Hemlock, Red Spruce, Sugar Maple. White Liriodendron is a member of the magnolia taking of a good flllish; and accepting glue~ Most books descn'be the Tuliptree as a Ash. and Tuliptree. family. which prefers deep, rich soil. though it paint. and stain well. In the East, some say, large forest tree up to 6 feet in diameter and Measuring the girth and basal area ofa can be found growing in relatively infertile Tuliptree wood is surpassed in these qualities 150 feet in height. A few sources place its tree is relatively simple, but it is extremely locations. The Tuliptree flow·ers in May and only by White Pine. The wood is easily worked. limits at 200 feet in bei&hl&Dd 10 feet in d.iffia1h to accurately IDC8SI.IR the bcisht and Jane. Yetto.green b1oaloms have orange At a resolt, it bas fbtmd fts wti'J bdb eW&ythiug cliameter. RecMis c:oafirm that Tuliptrees crown spread of in-forest trees, particularly in markings within and are 1.5 to 2.5 inches from cabinets to postcards. Native Americans approached these dimensions in the pre moWitainous teaain. Tall trees are the most across with 6 petals and 3 sepals. The blossoms preferred it for making dugout canoes and settlement forests of at least two areas; flood difficult to measure. They require longer resemble tulips and it has been reported that a cradles, and used the bade for a variety of plains oflllinois and Indiana rivers (e.g. baselines to discern the highest points of their mature tree can produce 7 to 8 pounds of nectar medicinal purposes. Aa:ording to Deborah A Wabash) and Southern Appalachian coves. crowns. We are indebted to naturalist Robert After the old-growth conference last · t Ridgeway for the work he did in the 1870s and August in North Carolina., naturalist Ted Watt. 80s. He took meticulous measurements of the my daugbter Celeste Poulin (contributing artist largest Tuliptrees he could find. A sample of25 to Wild Earth), and I measured a number of trees yielded and average diameter of 6.2 feet impressive Tuliptrees in the Cosby section of with a maximum of 11 feet. A sample of 18 the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. A Tuliptrees measured on the ground yielded and stand of trees on the Gabes Mountain Trail average height of 143.5 feet with a range from produced measurements up to 163 feet. At 94 110 to 168 feet. Ridgeway triangulated the feet, the baseline for this tallest tree was too crovm of one giant, standing alone in a field. at short. The measurement thus carries a high 182 feet. He estimated some downed giants probability of error. However, a younger tree on with broken cro'>'m to have been near 200 feet the Henwallow Falls trail, near the Cosby when standing. campground. yielded a height of 146 feet on a Similar data exist for cove trees of the respectable baseline of 160 feet The Porter Southern Appalachians. Great Smoky Mountain Creek trail produced measurements on the 150 National Park has records of a giant Tuliptree foot range on equally long baselines. Unfortu that yielded 18,000 boardfeet in 4 logs. Its nately, I could not get measurements of the diameter approached 7 feet and its length was a most promising trees, including a hemlock that solid 190 feet A stupendous Tuliptree cut in may rewrite the records. Much work remains to North Carolina's Slickrock district in the early be done in Porter Creek drainage to adequately 1900 produced 20,165 boardfeet oflumber in 4 document the exceptional qualities of its forest. huge logs. This figure can be better appreciated Obtaining tmobstructed views of the tree when compared to the average of33,000 crowns in this cathedral forest will require they boardfeet oflumber per acre calculated for the be measure when bare ofleaves. We hope to virgin Pisgah tract of southern New Hampshire. put to rest the question of whether 200 foot Today, a good White Pine forest in the Tuliptrees can still be found in the Southern Northeast can yield. 25,000 boardfeet per acre. Appalachians. Oak forests often yield as little as 5000 Tuliptree as Symbol boardfeet per acre. In 1859, a professor No accoWit of trees would be complete Buc.kley reported two Tuliptrees near the without discussing their psychological impact Pigeon River in Haywood County. NC: The on humans. The Tuliptree ranks high in its first made 33 feet in circumference and the capacity to inspire properly attuned mortals. In second29. Other statistics could be cited to his book The Best Loved Trees of America, confum that with the demise of the American Robert Lemmon writes "The United States is Chestnut, the Tuliptree was left with few fortunate in the number and variety of its large competitors for the title of monarch of the trees, but within the area where it naturally Eastem Hardwoods. Ifthe tuliptree can be grows you would look far to find one more The Highlands Voice, March 1994 - Page 7
L.~~~~~~~~~!r~~~· J~Thehigb ----lA}--iazdeer ...... , r a growing population tend to elim.in.ate it nwnber of suppressed saplings fill in the and favor beech. The 'harvesting' of the large P.rnf!l-.1 (I\~ 'I.'Io1l.,y- B1 LltO canopy rapidly. stems decrease the rate of gap formation. The \I\IOO Of>ECt Senior/Student $12 Membership Benefits Regular 15 s 25 $50 Associate 30 50 100 Sustaining 50 100 200 • 1 year subscription to the Highlands Voice Patron 100 200 400 Mountaineer 200 300 600 • Special meetings with workshops and speakers Name: • Representation through WVHC efforts to monitor legislative and Address: agency activity City/State/Zip: The WVHC, at age 27, is the oldest environmental group in West Vtrginia. The Conservancy has been influential in protecting and Make checks payable to: West V1rginia Highlands Conservancy Mail to: P.O. Box 306, Charleston, WV 25321 preserving WV's na1W'al heritage. Your support will help WVHC to ·------· continue its efforts.