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The survivor at the edge of the pond makes it through another year
By adamg on Mon, 11/04/2024 - 2:31pm
Black void at the bottom is really a hollowed out trunk. See it larger.
The old leaning tree on the Pond Street side of Jamaica Pond didn't seem like it would make it this year - the crack in its trunk widened into a mini-cavern with enough space to support several families of squirrels and it tipped even more down toward the water, enough so that you could no longer use its outer branches to gauge just full the pond was.
And yet, the year after a fan wrapped some notebooks and pencils around it for people to remember it by, it persisted. It put out new leaves this past spring and they lasted until the fall.
But how much longer before it just finally gives way and falls into the pond?
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Comments
Saving trees in the Emerald
Saving trees in the Emerald Necklace is not part of the Office of Climate Resilience job. This area is managed by DCR.
Just, please, no, stop
This is a Boston city park. For that matter, all of the Emerald Necklace is city owned and maintained (the actual parks that is, as opposed to the parkways, which, yes, are DCR property).
There were a ton of Boston Parks and Rec workers out there just a couple of weeks ago doing all sorts of pruning and stuff, but this tree has been slowly dying for a couple years now, and at this point there's probably not much anybody can do for it.
I stand corrected then. But I
I stand corrected then. But I'm not talking about a particular single tree. There has been a noticeable die off of trees in these parks.
Trees are not immortal
Trees die all the time. They have different natural life spans. And if several trees of the same species were planted at the same time, it is no surprise they reach the end of their life at the same time.
There might be an issue specific to the pond, though ...
It does seem like several trees right at the edge of the pond have died over the past year or so. I'm no arborist, so could be completely wrong, but I wonder if it's because in between the drought we had in 2022 and this year's dry spell, we got enough rain to raise the pond level well above their roots, putting them under water for months and months, and either washing away the dirt that supported them or causing rot or some other problem.
Funny you mention climate change
Some of this is climate change.
How could possibly be your
How could possibly be your response? Do you have a heart? A soul?
A brain?
A brain?
Landmark
I have a number of photos this tree from the many times I have 'walked the pond'. the photos usually feature birds perched out the lone branch over the water.
Calling Nibi the Beaver
Chomp that tree and make a casket for Peanut the Squirrel.
I hate to spoil the fun, but
I hate to spoil the fun, but isn't this what insurance adjusters call an "attractive nuisance"? Seems like it might be time to take this tree down before someone gets hurt trying to climb it.
No worse than playground equipment.
It's nothing so dangerous as an empty swimming pool or unsecured well cover.
I mean, anyone can sue over anything, but this is nothing you wouldn't see in any forest.
It's literally falling apart.
It's literally falling apart.
Truly representative of
Truly representative of survival in Boston.
Leave it alone.
Let it fall in the pond. It serves a natural purpose as it is.