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TOPIC: American Chestnut
http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees/browse_thread/thread/867e8095180bdc53?hl=en
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= 7 of 7 ==
Date: Tues, Jul 8 2008 5:40 am
From: Paul Jost

James,

A little over a year ago, I wrote this in an email to the Wisconsin Champion Tree coordinator:

...I visited the Bayfield, WI American Chestnut. It's owners, Susan and Neil, gave me a warm welcome and were gracious hosts. They patiently let me measure and photograph the tree. They talked about it's histgry, about frequent visitors to the tree, and about what it meant to some of the visitors. It has recently suffered crown loss from wind damage and possibly other causes, and has been properly serviced by a professional arborist. It is generally in good shape but is "pinched" in between an oak and a shagbark hickory, probably having been planted there when the house was built in 1888. The tree measured 143" in girth 4.5' above midslope, 57' tall, and had a 40.7' average spread for 210 points. It exists on a slope down from a nearby home down to the sidewalk that was installed long after the tree was planted.

It is the second biggest chestnut in Wisconsin. I have a late spring picture with the leaves off just before budding. I'll try to dig it up. There is also a healthy naturalized grove of medium sized chestnuts nearby on private land along an area golf course.

The state champ is in decline from the chestnut blight. It is part of a large grove of naturalized trees in western Wisconsin that only recently was exposed to the blight. It is on private land, but I do know the general location. I have never been there.

I've also seen other fairly large trees in isolated yard plantings along the south shore of Lake Superior in the eastern upper peninsula of Michigan. So, I assume that some far northern specimens may exist in shoreline vicinity climates moderated by the Great Lakes.

Paul

On Jul 4, 10:02 pm, "Edward Frank" <edfr...@comcast.net> wrote:

 James, Thanks for the link,

ENTS, here is a big one from Wisconsin:

 http://www2.volstate.edu/jschibig/bigchestnuts.htm

 To the right is a wonderful photo of a magnificent American chestnut
currently thriving near La Crosse, Wisconsin. It was planted along with
several others by a local farmer in 1909 and in less than 100 years attained
diameter of 58 inches. This is the state record for Wisconsin and is one
of the largest American chestnuts to be found east of the Rocky Mountains