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): 32</td>=0A </tr>=0A <tr>=0A <td>NSFT Scor
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Hi Annabelle,
I asked a similar question on this forum six years ago
. Peter Hope, now retired from Kejimkujiki National Park, gave a
very helpful reply, which I am sure he would not mind my repeating.
Patricia L. Chalmers
Halifax
P.S. How did you measure the height of the trees?
At 10:53 PM 02/02/2005, Peter Hope wrote:
Hi Patricia,
Wow, what a hemlock you have there!
I'll answer your question based upon some study I did in the big hemlock
grove on Hemlocks and Hardwoods trail in Kejimkujik a few years ago. I
initiated having the trail built in 1976 and laid out the route. A couple of
years ago it was in real need of resurfacing with gravel. We did a bunch of
studies, then wrote self-interpreting signs. Since I retired the work has
been done with a lengthy stretch of boardwalk to keep people on the path and
protect the trees - the soil around their roots was eroded and their roots
were in the early stages of being debarked and worn. The problem was nipped
in the bud.
Anyway I got some of my staff to help me. We measured the trees (diameter at
breast height above the ground), used an instrument to measure the height
and cored the trees. So what I'll give you is based upon individual trees.
We did a few in each size class.
Your tree, with 130 inch circum. is 330 cm around. Here is what I measured
that were closest to that size:
Tree # 1 258 cm in circum. 230 + years (core was not quite complete so
precise age uncertain)
Tree # 2 237 cm in circum. 240 years old
Tree # 3 217 cm in circum. 275 years old
Tree # 4 251 cm in circum. 280 years old
Based upon the above a nearby tree 304 cm in circum. was estimated at 350 to
400 years old.
I think it is likely that your tree is conservatively 400 years old.
There are two hemlocks together in a stand of young trees, mostly beech,
just 15 m. off the Grafton Woods Trail in Kejimkujik. I feel they are about
the size of your tree or just a shade bigger. I have always felt they were
over 400 years old and might be close to 500.
It is not possible to core such trees with the equipment I had and it is
likely they have hollow butts, so no accurate measurement can be taken. A
book we had in the Kejimkujik library stated that eastern hemlocks had been
recorded at over 900 years of age!
It is a pity such trees that you have described could not be classified as
"heritage trees" and saved for their uniqueness.
Pete Hope
----- Original Message -----
From: "Patricia L. Chalmers" <Patricia.Chalmers@ukings.ns.ca>
To: "NatureNS" <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2005 1:08 PM
Subject: Hemlock Tree - how old?
> Hi there,
>
> Enough about birds, here's a question about trees.
>
> Along the Old Coach Trail, which passes through the woods behind my
> parents' house in Bedford, there used to be some very large hemlocks. The
> biggest of these have recently been cut down by the developers of "The
> Ravines of Bedford South". We got to wondering (too late) just how big
> and old these trees were. My brother and I measured one of the
hemlocks still
> standing, although it's smaller than the biggest ones that are now
> gone. We found that this tree is about 130 inches in circumference, at
> about breast height. It was growing against the side of a very steep
> incline, so it was a challenge to measure and I took the measurement
> higher up than perhaps I should have done.
>
> My question is, can one estimate from this how old the tree is? I
> understand that one can't get a precise answer without taking a core
> sample, but can someone suggest a range of years?
>
> Many thanks,
>
> Patricia L. Chalmers
> Halifax
At 01:57 PM 18/07/2011, Annabelle wrote:
>Martial and I would like to estimate the ages of three eastern
>hemlock trees in a little woodland graveyard near Georgefield. Here
>are their measurements in metres. Circumferences are at breast height.
>
>Tree A B C
>Height 22 21 17
>Circumference 1.52 1.75 1.83
>
>
>Even very rough estimates would be of value to us with lower and
>upper bounds such as 125-150 years.
>
>
>
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Hi Annabelle,<br><br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>I asked a
similar question on this forum six years ago . Peter Hope, now
retired from Kejimkujiki National Park, gave a very helpful reply, which
I am sure he would not mind my repeating. <br><br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>Patricia
L. Chalmers<br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>Halifax<br>
<br>
P.S. How did you measure the height of the trees?<br><br>
<br>
<font face="Courier New, Courier">At 10:53 PM 02/02/2005, Peter
Hope wrote:<br>
Hi Patricia,<br><br>
Wow, what a hemlock you have there!<br><br>
I'll answer your question based upon some study I did in the big
hemlock<br>
grove on Hemlocks and Hardwoods trail in Kejimkujik a few years ago.
I<br>
initiated having the trail built in 1976 and laid out the route. A couple
of<br>
years ago it was in real need of resurfacing with gravel. We did a bunch
of<br>
studies, then wrote self-interpreting signs. Since I retired the work
has<br>
been done with a lengthy stretch of boardwalk to keep people on the path
and<br>
protect the trees - the soil around their roots was eroded and their
roots<br>
were in the early stages of being debarked and worn. The problem was
nipped<br>
in the bud.<br><br>
Anyway I got some of my staff to help me. We measured the trees (diameter
at<br>
breast height above the ground), used an instrument to measure the
height<br>
and cored the trees. So what I'll give you is based upon individual
trees.<br>
We did a few in each size class.<br><br>
Your tree, with 130 inch circum. is 330 cm around. Here is what I
measured<br>
that were closest to that size:<br><br>
Tree # 1 258 cm in circum. 230 + years (core was not
quite complete so<br>
precise age uncertain)<br><br>
Tree # 2 237 cm in circum. 240 years old<br><br>
Tree # 3 217 cm in circum. 275 years old<br><br>
Tree #