Approx age of oak?
gr
in a heavy grove of oak (several acres) in a hilly section with what
appears to be good soil.
Thanks,
gr
Joe
increment borer- have them core it.
"gr" <greif1-...@rochester.rr.com> wrote in message
news:48b211a2$0$17399$c3e...@news.astraweb.com...
Larry
> I'd estimate 150-300 yrs or more. Somebody in the area must have a large
> increment borer- �have them core it.
>
>
> news:48b211a2$0$17399$c3e...@news.astraweb.com...
>
>
>
> > Roughly how old is a 4 foot diam oak, growing near Rochester NY (NE US),
> > in a heavy grove of oak (several acres) in a hilly section with what
> > appears to be good soil.
> > Thanks,
>
> - Show quoted text -
I'd agree with Joe. Although I'm a west coast guy, I spend a lot of
time in Rochester (another story).
You probably would only find an oak that big on "hilly ground" as
everything else was cleared for farming in the 1800's.
To get any oak to 4' would be near 100 years on the best ground...
As a matter of fact, I was in Rochester last week staying with my son
who lives in W. Henrietta and his house backs up to the Gennesee
River. I was supprised to see 36"+ oaks there as most of the "old
field re-growth" tends to be 12" or less.
In other words, if you have a 4' DBH oak, you have a "virgin"
situation where clearing has not occurred. Oaks are not real long
lived (by western standards). 300 years is probably max. Given the
relatively short growing season in that area, 100-150 is probably
reasonable to get to the size you're talking about on good site.
After that, a mature tree (anaywhere) thends to increment in diameter
rather slowly...
Larry
Lawrence Lake, RPF
Redding, CA
gr
Mills Park (a Monroe County park) and is around 2 or 3 acres in size
(maybe a bit more). There are 2 trees in this area that are around 4
foot diameter and a few 3 foot diams, lots of 2 foots. The whole area
is mostly oak, with almost no shrubs or weeds, just oak leaves and wide
spaces between trees. The area is bounded by very steep ravines on 3
sides, so maybe it was inaccessible in years past. I am thinking this
may be a pocket of old growth or something close to it. Do you know
someone in the area that might be able to check it out?
If they are useful, I have pictures and maps (my summer hobby is
recovering trails in the park and maintaining them, for which I have
mapped them, and am casually measuring (DBH) and noting gps location on
some of the big trees I run across).
Thanks,
Gary
Joe
Google group called ENTS- it has some of the best experts on big trees in
the east.
Joe
"gr" <greif1-...@rochester.rr.com> wrote in message
news:48b49d28$0$2114$c3e...@news.astraweb.com...
Larry
>
> - Show quoted text -
Contact Bruce O'neil. He's been working with trees in that area for
30 years. I don't think he has an academic pedegree <g> but his
experience is extensive.
His number should be in the phone book fo Rochester...
gr
Gary