Al Carder: Big Tree Defender Honoured By AFA

Al Carder - big tree lover and protector.

When it comes to promoting the beauty of big trees, there are few humans as influential as Al Carder.
It was great to see this big tree hero honoured recently. Al Carder, long a big tree lover and protector, was acknowledged for his work by The Ancient Forest Alliance. Call it an early Christmas present.

Al, author of "Forest Giants of The World: Past and Present" and "Giant Trees of Western America and The World" is as old and wise as some of the trees he has written about.

After personally discovering his books he became one of my big tree heroes. I mean, how many people do you know that go on global tree tours in their retirement, then write books about the experience upon arriving home? Who knows how many trees he has brought attention to, and thus saved for future generations to see?

Mr. Carder was largely responsible for the preservation of Port Renfrew's Red Creek Fir (largest known Douglas fir in the world) after it was discovered by timber industry workers in 1976. If not for him I, and many others, may never have seen this majestic tree.

If you haven't caught the tree bug yet, I urge you to go to the nearest public library and check out Al's books. If you aren't a convert afterwards perhaps clear cuts are more to your liking, because that is what happens when we forget to love the trees.

Thank you Mr. Carder for sharing your love and passion for our primal trees and forests with all the world.

Congratulations on your AFA Sustainability Award.

Money Maple Mishap

Left - Norway maple, Right - North American sugar maple

There mustn't be any botanists left still in the service of the people in this wonderful, forested country of ours. If there was, we surely would have avoided our country's recent money maple mishap.

When the Bank of Canada released the new $20.00 dollar bill, it could be seen by some that it shows a leaf of the Norway maple rather than the native North American Sugar maple leaf. What is going on in this country of ours?

First we lose the theme song for Hockey Night In Canada, and now foreign maples are invading not only our streets, but our currency as well.

Invasive Norway maple leaf is above the 20 on left

The maple leaf has been a symbol of the vast treed wilderness of what is now Canada since the 18th century. In all that time the sugar maple has been one of Canada's most important trees. I am no flag waver, but I do like trees. And maple syrup.

While the sugar maple only grows in the east, our west coast Bigleaf maples are closely related. Both varieties produce sap that can be made into syrup, but the eastern varieties produce a higher quality.

But what our western maple lacks in sap sugars it makes up for in leaf size. It has the largest leaves of any maple tree.

Leaf from Canadian flag

So important is the maple tree that its leaf also shows up on the Canadian flag. The leaf depicted is of a stylized variety. However, compared with the two leaves in the top photo, one can see it is more like the Sugar maple than the Norway variety.


The BOC says the leaf on the $20 is also of the 'stylized' variety, and that its appearance doesn't matter.



There are probably a few botanists (and a bunch of Canadians, including this one) that would beg to differ.

Bigleaf maple can be found on the west coast
and leaves can be as large as 30cm +

Langford's Humpback Road Heritage Trees Outgrowing Their Home: culling will take place

Not many urban streets sport the number and concentration of huge magnificent trees as Humpback Road in Langford. Here you can drive down the street and feel like you are at the bottom of a canyon of green, or passing through a row of giant columns leading to a monumental building. As far as urban big trees go, these are some of my favourites.

This group of trees has a long history that began in 1886 when John Phair, the owner of the Goldstream Hotel from 1886 to 1909, planted them for the enjoyment of future guests.

In the early 1900s the big trees of the Goldstream Park area were a favourite weekend stomping ground for the upper crust of Victoria. The elite from the city would retreat to the forest after journeying by train on the Esquimalt & Nanaimo railway to Goldstream station. After getting off the train people would either stroll along a boardwalk, or take a horse and buggy through the rows of trees to the hotel.

These trees are designated a Heritage Group, and are therefore provided protection due to their size, age, and social history. Initially there were 89 trees in the group, but over the years many of the trees have had to be culled for a variety of reasons.

It is sad that this is so, but it is a fact that enormous trees and urban areas can be a dangerous mix. In April of this year a resident that lives under some of these giants wrote to Langford city council asking that something be done about the rows of huge, hulking heritage trees. Their letter states in part:

"Last Friday, April 2nd, we had a terrific windstorm; with wind-gusts approaching 110 kmh. The result of that was a rather frightening experience for ALL the residents that live in the part of Humpback with the old but gigantic trees lining this portion of the road. Once again, for the umpteenth time, a powerful hail of pine branches and cones came battering at the homes next to the trees. THIS time however, it was a windstorm of unusual power."

The letter goes on to ask that the trees be limbed and topped, but it seems that the preferred solution is to remove all the trees as soon as possible. I know from personal experience that riding out a shrieking west coast gale under giant trees can be a scary proposition. Never mind the unbelievable noise, huge branches and dead wood can fall, and whole trees toppling over is quite common.

On July 26, 2010 a Staff Report to the Parks, Recreation, Culture and Beautification Committee was issued. It gave some background information about these trees, and made several recommendations for dealing with them. The following information is quoted from the report.

Background

"For many years the City of Langford has worked to retain the heritage trees along the public Road ROW on Humpback Road. In 1995 under a provision of the Local Government Act these trees were designated as "Significant Trees" by City Council. All proposed work to these trees must be authorized by City Council.

Over the years many of the trees have been removed due to decline or for public safety. Since 1995, 19 trees have been removed, the last two removals taking place in 2006. Fifty six designated significant trees now remain.

In April of this year a resident, who lives adjacent to the trees, wrote to Mayor Young expressing concerns about the trees. In response the Parks Department engaged a consulting arborist to carry out the yearly assessment of the trees.

Again this year consulting arborist Tom Talbot of Talbot MacKenzie and Associates carried out the assessments. Some additional Resistograph testing was done to assess some trees for potential areas of internal decay."


Commentary

"This year's Arborist Report dated June 17th, 2010 recommends the immediate removal of two trees (#24 due to decay and #26 an adjacent tree due to exposure by the removal of #24), and removal or monitoring of two additional trees that have existing cracks in the trunks or stems (#41 and #53). Unfortunately six other trees have been identified for removal within the next 5 to 6 years (#3, #4, #5, #18, #19 and #79).


Many of the trees are also recommended for remedial work, removal of hangers, deadwood removal, weight reduction and beneficial pruning."


It should be noted that Langford has legal responsibilities which must be addressed. The city has a duty of care to maintain the trees in such a manner that the public is not harmed by a tree or limb failure. Therefore, the following options were listed in the report."


Options

"That Council direct Staff to engage a qualified tree service to carry out the work as detailed in the Arborist Report Dated June 21st, 2010.

a) Removal of trees #24 and #26.
b) Further that if funding allows trees #41 and #53 (plus # 40) be removed, due to their structural condition and location adjacent to the playground, hydro lines, homes and roadway.
c) All recommended hazard and beneficial pruning work detailed in the Arborist Report.
d) Trees # 3, #4, #5, #18, #19 and #79 identified for removal in the next 5-6 years and all other remaining significant trees are monitored annually for changes in health and structure."

The Goldstream Hotel with the heritage trees towering overhead

It is tough being an urban big tree, and eventually all the giant Douglas-firs along Humpback Road will be gone. In the wild these trees can grow to be older than 1000 years, giving the 124 year old Humpback trees about another 900 years to thrive.

In captivity, though, such trees will outgrow their location rather quickly - say in 1 or 2 hundred years, perhaps much sooner. It is good to see that Langford city council both acknowledges the importance of these beautiful trees, and is committed to doing what it takes to keep them for as long as possible, while doing what it can to protect the people that live and drive along the roadway.

If you are in the area, take a drive through the Humpback Road tree canyon and be amazed at the thick trunks and massive canopies of this group of much loved trees. Enjoy them while they last.