Modeling the Pinchot
Modeling the Pinchot
Ents,
Jared Lockwood and I went to Simsbury CT yesterday to plan for our modeling of the Pinchot Sycamore on May 6-7. We will be put up at the Gifford Pinchot Inn in Simsbury, where Pinchot was born. This could be a pretty big deal for many folks in Simsbury. Here's a look at Pinchot with Jared in for scale.
Modeling this beast will be a challenge. Preliminary calculations indicate a volume of exceeding 2,000 ft^3. We'll focus on each of the five major limb structures, measuring the biggest limbs first. The lower trunk is no problem, but the section where the major limbs extend from the trunk will be a challenge. There's no regularity that we can get see for about 4 vertical feet. Will have to put the pieces together.
We did take the usual height and DBH measurements, plus the diameters of the major limbs at their bases. Pinchot's height is 98.5 feet and girth is 28.7 feet at 4.5 feet. Limb diameters are 4.07, 4.7, 4.2, 4.2, 3.0. One limb is between 91 and 93 feet long. It is the longest limb I've ever measured. This is a hypotenuse length, not horizontal distance. The hypotenuse path doesn't follow the curvature of the limb, so the true length is a little more.
On our return trip, we swung by Easthampton, and re-measured the state's champion sycamore of height. It is now 141 feet! It's DBH is 13.65 feet. More on this tree to come.
Bob
Jared Lockwood and I went to Simsbury CT yesterday to plan for our modeling of the Pinchot Sycamore on May 6-7. We will be put up at the Gifford Pinchot Inn in Simsbury, where Pinchot was born. This could be a pretty big deal for many folks in Simsbury. Here's a look at Pinchot with Jared in for scale.
Modeling this beast will be a challenge. Preliminary calculations indicate a volume of exceeding 2,000 ft^3. We'll focus on each of the five major limb structures, measuring the biggest limbs first. The lower trunk is no problem, but the section where the major limbs extend from the trunk will be a challenge. There's no regularity that we can get see for about 4 vertical feet. Will have to put the pieces together.
We did take the usual height and DBH measurements, plus the diameters of the major limbs at their bases. Pinchot's height is 98.5 feet and girth is 28.7 feet at 4.5 feet. Limb diameters are 4.07, 4.7, 4.2, 4.2, 3.0. One limb is between 91 and 93 feet long. It is the longest limb I've ever measured. This is a hypotenuse length, not horizontal distance. The hypotenuse path doesn't follow the curvature of the limb, so the true length is a little more.
On our return trip, we swung by Easthampton, and re-measured the state's champion sycamore of height. It is now 141 feet! It's DBH is 13.65 feet. More on this tree to come.
Bob
Robert T. Leverett
Co-founder, Native Native Tree Society
Co-founder and President
Friends of Mohawk Trail State Forest
Co-founder, National Cadre
Co-founder, Native Native Tree Society
Co-founder and President
Friends of Mohawk Trail State Forest
Co-founder, National Cadre
Re: Modeling the Pinchot
Bob,
I’m looking forward to seeing your results. I’ve been struggling with large Red Oak limbs that present a similar challenge to this Sycamore. The shape of the limb/trunk interface isn’t anything resembling a regular shape. Climbing the tree would allow for direct measurement, but I’m avoiding that for now.
Did you get tips from Larry on how to make Jared look so small? That tree dwarfs him.
Elijah
I’m looking forward to seeing your results. I’ve been struggling with large Red Oak limbs that present a similar challenge to this Sycamore. The shape of the limb/trunk interface isn’t anything resembling a regular shape. Climbing the tree would allow for direct measurement, but I’m avoiding that for now.
Did you get tips from Larry on how to make Jared look so small? That tree dwarfs him.
Elijah
"There is nothing in the world to equal the forest as nature made it. The finest formal forest, the most magnificent artificially grown woods, cannot compare with the grandeur of primeval woodland." Bob Marshall, Recreational Limitations to Silviculture in the Adirondacks
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Re: Modeling the Pinchot
2,000 cubic feet? That's amazing. If I remember correctly, some of the huge Smokies trees 3,000 cubic foot range. I never would have guessed this tree is so big.
Re: Modeling the Pinchot
Ryan,
I expect around 2,300 or 2,400 cubes. Armed with a toolkit of new reticle formulas, hopefully, Jared and I can do a thorough job later this year.
Bob
I expect around 2,300 or 2,400 cubes. Armed with a toolkit of new reticle formulas, hopefully, Jared and I can do a thorough job later this year.
Bob
Robert T. Leverett
Co-founder, Native Native Tree Society
Co-founder and President
Friends of Mohawk Trail State Forest
Co-founder, National Cadre
Co-founder, Native Native Tree Society
Co-founder and President
Friends of Mohawk Trail State Forest
Co-founder, National Cadre
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- Posts: 116
- Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2014 5:23 pm
Re: Modeling the Pinchot
Amazing. Lots of fond memories of this tree. It was probably the first big tree I visited.
Have you heard of the big sycamore at the intersection of 53 and 302? In Bethel. It is just a class below the Pinchot and Pine Plains trees. It is 7.3' thick.
Have you heard of the big sycamore at the intersection of 53 and 302? In Bethel. It is just a class below the Pinchot and Pine Plains trees. It is 7.3' thick.
Re: Modeling the Pinchot
Ryan,
No, I haven't. Do you have an image of it? Is it in a location that allows it to be easily measured?
Bob
No, I haven't. Do you have an image of it? Is it in a location that allows it to be easily measured?
Bob
Robert T. Leverett
Co-founder, Native Native Tree Society
Co-founder and President
Friends of Mohawk Trail State Forest
Co-founder, National Cadre
Co-founder, Native Native Tree Society
Co-founder and President
Friends of Mohawk Trail State Forest
Co-founder, National Cadre
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- Posts: 116
- Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2014 5:23 pm
Re: Modeling the Pinchot
Here's a link.
http://oak.conncoll.edu:8080/notabletrees/ViewTreeData.jsp?selected=9001
Definitely some buttressing on that big branch, but it looks like the tree passes the single pith test.
Measuring the tree should be easy. It is right by a little restaurant called the Sycamore Drive Inn, so you could measure it from the Drive Inn's parking lot.
There's another pretty big one in New Milford. It is right by Route 7. I have driven by that tree a number of times.
Here's a more complete list of sycamores:
http://oak.conncoll.edu:8080/notabletrees/Process_SelectTaxon.jsp
http://oak.conncoll.edu:8080/notabletrees/ViewTreeData.jsp?selected=9001
Definitely some buttressing on that big branch, but it looks like the tree passes the single pith test.
Measuring the tree should be easy. It is right by a little restaurant called the Sycamore Drive Inn, so you could measure it from the Drive Inn's parking lot.
There's another pretty big one in New Milford. It is right by Route 7. I have driven by that tree a number of times.
Here's a more complete list of sycamores:
http://oak.conncoll.edu:8080/notabletrees/Process_SelectTaxon.jsp