Going Out on a Limb - Arbor Day Around the Globe

Trees.

Life-giving, majestic, sentinels of time. We line driveways, create memorials, use as privacy buffers, climb on, hang from, and depend upon them for resources. They flourish in our books, movies, and Art of many mediums. Yet our thoughts and attention go deeper than the day-to-day applications. 

What is our fascination?

AI answered my question with the hypothesis that this “stems from a deep, multi-faceted connection, blending physical, emotional, and biological factors. Trees offer essential life-giving benefits (oxygen, shade, resources), possess calming aesthetic beauty, and foster a sense of grounding and permanence.” Additionally, AI surmised we benefit from reduced stress in their calming presence. I agree with the point that older trees “evoke a sense of history, wisdom, and stability.” The realization that trees communicate, share nutrients, and support one another adds to the wonder.

I am not alone in my fondness for trees. As a collective, the United States celebrates trees on Arbor Day. What I did not realize is that states declare this on different months and days. It makes sense as the seasons switch by region, and therefore planting parameters as trees burst forth in flower and unfurl their leaves at varying times.

On April 12, 1872, Nebraska City, Nebraska established roots of the very first Arbor Day. You can read the history in Carla Olson Gade’s post. After this historic event, other states joined the revelry. Now over 50 countries participate as well. Impressive that the efforts and initiative of one man in 1872 who addressed a need for trees in the barren plains of America spread across the globe. To date, over 500 million trees have been planted! (I read posts of an earlier celebration by Spain in 1594 but couldn't find a solid source or agreement of the location.)

From humble beginnings of shovels and hands, this day now monitored by The Arbor Day Foundation has scientific support and detailed planning. According to their website, they "use GIS mapping, environmental, socio-economic, and location data paired with local guidance to identify areas of greatest need." Combined efforts worldwide aid in replenishing this natural resource.

In honor of the upcoming Arbor Day on April 24th in Georgia, I would like to share some stellar trees we visited recently across the country. Join me at our first stop Point Defiance, Washington with its monumental trees. 

I'm not sure which specimen you see at left in all its stately glory. Below, left and right, say a hearty hello to Giant Sequoia ‘70437’ at 8.36m/27.43’ in girth and 39.02m/128.01’ tall. Goodness that is a lovely tree. Despite a document providing statistics on 22 of the resident trees, I could not find an estimated age. I queried and found it is probably relatively young at anywhere from 50-150 years. Sequoias can reach full height of nearly 250-300 feet. Can you imagine? I took the second photo at bottom right sheltered beneath its lacy limbs. Snuggled under the canopy, childhood stories danced in my thoughts. What a special spot.

  

There are many other old growth and interesting trees at Point Defiance. With each encounter, I wondered what they witnessed over the years. The people passing. Technology changing. From horses to horse and buggy, to cars, and eventually planes flying overhead. All the while the steadfast tree extends roots deep below and branches wide. Embracing our exhales and releasing a gift we often take for granted.

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Our next stop is John's Island near Charleston, South Carolina. Wait until you see this Low Country Treasure. Estimated at over 400 years, this Live Oak Tree is 65 feet tall and about 28 feet around. It shades roughly 17,000 square feet of area. The longest branch is 187 feet! The caretakers of the Angel Oak supported some of its limbs and repaired others. Visitors flock to this mammoth tree each year in droves. The parcel now housing Angel Oak Park was part of a 1717 land grant to Abraham Waight. Later, in the mid-1800s, Justis and Martha Angel acquired the land. Hence the name Angel.

Do we even need words?


   

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Take a walk around the Angel Oak with me...

And another view...

Look at those limbs...

Our last stop is with the Patriot Tree at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. To be honest, this was a bonus. I had no idea we would cross paths with this sentinel. We visited our son last week and stopped to appreciate this 175 year old Live Oak. Imagine, this tree existed in this very spot before the Civil War changed the landscape. How's that for perspective?

That concludes our current tour. Which was your favorite? 

If you would like to read some prior posts featuring trees:

Liberty Trees
Trail Trees
Trail Trees II
Stave Churches, fashioned from trees and an old lilac tree to boot.

Rebecca and her husband share a townhouse with their rescued dog named Ranger, who is not spoiled in the least. They are enjoying a new season nestled in a quaint southeastern US city. She is a proud mom of an American soldier and an Aerospace grad student. If it were up to Rebecca, she would be traveling - right now. First up, trips to see their two grown sons. As a member of ACFW and FHLCW, she tackles the craft of fiction while learning from a host of generous writers.

Connect with Rebecca: Facebook Goodreads Instagram Pinterest X/Twitte

The Need for Fireboats - Not What You Might Think

On our latest trip to Washington state, we passed notable history markers while walking along the coast. One such site - impossible to miss, Fireboat No.1. This massive steel-hulled ship in all its crimson glory, rests ashore on Point Ruston. Upon first glance, I thought it aided with wild hillside conflagrations or house fires. Yet in researching for this piece I discovered the original purpose of fireboats along the entirety of the west coast is not fire related, but rather fire adjacent. What drove the need? I’ll let you ponder that a bit while you peruse this vessel. 

Have you guessed yet?

For California, initially earthquakes predicated the desire for fireboats. Who knew? Earthquakes disrupt and dismantle. When water mains break underground, sea water is the best option to tackle fires.

For Washington state, the varied jobs of fireboats centered around the many facets of the lumber industry, from shipping to milling, and storage. The fireboats' efficiency kept fires from spreading amongst the warehouses. There were then and still are areas today of the Tacoma coastline where roads do not exist. The only manner of fighting fires was and is from the coastline for those locations. 

Fireboat No. 1 fun facts. Three shifts of twelve firefighters served to keep this 96'6" long boat running. It seems the red suits her better than her original gray and black. Don't you agree? Weighing in at 88.5 gross tons, this beauty has five engines, three propellers, and one rudder. Imagine the volume of water as her seven monitors (nozzles) could deliver as much water as ten firetrucks! She wears an electric winch, a searchlight, and a boom for the life boat. 2,500 feet of fire hoses can be attached at six outlets of the manifolds on each side. Even with all of these accoutrements, she could travel at nearly 16 miles per hour. Pretty quick for an old girl. In fact, in 1929, she was among the fastest of her kind.

Look at the red monitor (water cannon) at nearly the middle of the boat in the photo at left. It sports a white nozzle. Do you see it? Aptly named, "Big Bertha," this cannon delivered 6,500 gallons of water per minute - 475 feet. What a powerful tool to fight fires. 

Not only did the fireboat use water from the 38 miles of Tacoma waterfront, it also deployed foam in oil and gas fires. Above and beyond fires, Fireboat No. 1 served Tacoma by responding to emergencies. Bridge jumpers and sinking vessels fell under her purview. She carried out an estimated 80% of the emergency rescues since the Coast Guard operated less than 24 hours per day. 

Fireboat No. 1 raced into action on October 1, 1929. She faithfully served for 53 years. Then, she helped train firefighters before the transition to newer, more advanced fireboats. Independence Day Celebrations featured her in all her glory, often shooting colorful water from her monitors. Other local festivities offered a chance for her to shine over the years. When asked in a 1976 survey for favorite landmarks, the second highest votes landed on board Fireboat No. 1, shadowed only by Mt. Rainier. Fine company indeed.

One of my favorite findings while studying the history of Fireboat No. 1 is Robert Fields' assessment in the 1978 nomination form for Tacoma Register of Historic Places Inventory. "Its appearance is, perhaps, as dated as 'antique' firetrucks of this period, but the fireboat has remained almost unchanged because it so completely satisfied the function it was designed to perform, and because its durability has allowed it to remain 'in service' for more than half a century."

What a legacy. May we learn from her.

As a child, Rebecca loved to write. She nurtured this skill as an educator and later as an editor for an online magazine. Rebecca then joined the Cru Ministry - NBS2GO/Neighbor Bible Studies, at its inception. She serves as the YouVersion Content Creator, with over 135 Plans, in 45 languages on the Bible.com app.

Rebecca lives near the mountains with her husband and a rescued dog named Ranger. She is a proud mom of an American soldier and an Aerospace grad student. If it were up to Rebecca, she would be traveling - right now. First up, trips to see their two grown sons. As a member of ACFW and FHLCW, she tackles the craft of fiction while learning from a host of generous writers. 

Connect with Rebecca: Facebook Goodreads Instagram Pinterest X/Twitter

Fields, R. (1978, January 24). Tacoma Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form. Tacoma; CMS City of Tacoma.