Tree Talk: Veteran trees

Veteran’s Day is observed on Nov. 11 – to commemorate the end of WWI at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11, 1918. The day honors (and justly so) all of America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good. The word “veteran” can be used in a completely different context to describe someone (or something) with long experience in some occupation or skill. Let’s stretch the meaning a bit more and talk about “Veteran Trees” – trees with historic significance, or those that have lived a long life of service, gracing our surroundings with natural beauty.

The most familiar big, old trees are the sequoias and redwoods of Northern California. Giant sequoias are recognized by their orange-red thick bark that is up to 18 inches thick, providing protection from burning and the heat of forest fires. During recent 2021 fires, a fire-resistant aluminum blanket was used to protect the base of General Sherman, the world’s largest tree (by volume) at 275 feet tall, with a basal circumference of 103 feet. Interestingly, the seeds of the sequoia, which are the size of a grain of oatmeal, must fall on bare mineral ground to germinate – soil made bare by fire. Giant sequoias are adapted to periodic fire. General Sherman is estimated to be 2,500 years old, while some sequoias in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California are likely closer to 3,000 years old.

Coastal redwoods grow taller than sequoias, with the champion measuring 390 feet tall – that’s more than a football field’s length! It’s the coastal conditions with substantial rainfall in spring, fall and winter – along with foggy conditions common along the northern Pacific coast – that provide ideal conditions for these trees to grow to such a massive size.

The oldest trees in the world are Great Basin Bristlecone pines, found in the White Mountains of California in Great Basin National Park. These trees grow at high elevations with harsh growing conditions: a short growing season, below-freezing temperatures and high winds which form a gnarled trunk. The growing conditions result in a very slow growth rate, resulting in very dense wood which makes the trees resistant to insects, fungi, and rot. They grow in a substrate of limestone rock where no other vegetation will grow, making them an isolated species where there is little danger of a forest fire. The U.S. Forest Service has allowed coring of a few of these trees to determine their age by counting tree rings. In 2012, one tree was dated at over 5,000 years old.

North Dakota is home to some veteran trees, too. Petrified forests occur in the southwestern corner of the state, most notably in the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. A walking trail guides you to spectacular close-up views of the petrified remains of sequoia trees which once stood 100 feet tall and 12 feet in diameter. These tree stump remains are 60 million years old.

Take time to appreciate nature’s veterans.

More importantly, take time to acknowledge and thank our brave military veterans – and remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.