Book Review: Among the Ancients by Joan Maloof

There are old growth forests east of the Mississippi, at least 26 of them! Plant scientist, ecologist, and professor of biology and environmental studies at Salisbury University in Maryland Dr. Joan Maloof visited one old growth forest in each of the 26 states east of the Mississippi River and writes about her journey to each forest and her observations of the forest in her second book titled Among the Ancients: Adventures in the Eastern Old-Growth Forests which was published in April 2011 by Ruka Press.

Image: Among the Ancients book cover (source)

In the preface to the book, Dr. Maloof offers the following definition of old-growth forests (she tells us someone found 98 definitions of the term): "Old-growth forest are places that have been left alone for a very long time. This usually results in large, old trees, but in some marginal environments, such as mountaintops, even the ancient trees are small."  She expands the definition of old-growth forests in the chapter titled Indiana: Pioneer Mothers Memorial Forest: old-growth forests also include "many young trees. The trees are likely to be of many different species. There are also many dead trees, some still standing, and others fallen over on the forest floor. Dr. Maloof shares the locations of these 26 old-growth forests because she believes "as more of us visit these places, more of us will understand what our landscape used to be, and more of us will make the effort to protect the ancient forests that remain." In addition to the publication of Among the Ancients, Dr. Maloof has founded the Old Growth Forest Network to preserve existing and future old-growth forests.

The review copy we received was in Kindle format so we have not seen the book's images and illustrations in print. However, the quality of the illustrations was one of the first things we observed about the book. The story of each forest is preceded by a well laid-out page of maps, photographs, and line drawings. I can mentally locate each forest at two geographic scales and imagine the forest and its trees based on the photos and drawings. Additional photographs of each forest are sprinkled throughout its chapter.

Another early observation was that each chapter/story contains a lesson. As I got deeper into the book I began to think of it as "lessons in forest ecology, politics, and ethics." The forest ecology lessons are not explicitly didactic but rather, Dr. Maloof generates hypotheses through her natural curiosity, by asking questions of what she observes in the forest. Here is an example from Tennessee: Falls Branch, Cherokee National Forest:

I was surprised to see that the largest trees were buckeyes. No doubt these bumblebees, or their kin, gathered nectar from the yellow flowers of the bucketyes earlier that summer. In this forest, I was seeing more bumblebees and more wildflowers than in other forests that time of year. I wondered if the early blooming buckeye trees gave the bee colonies a good early start. Then later, when the wildflowers bloom, there would be plenty of pollinators, and therefore more seeds, and more wildflowers the next year.

In addition to ecology lessons and "did you know" moments, Dr. Maloof peppers her chapters with stories about the people responsible for the existence of the 26 old-growth forests featured in the book. These stories are not apolitical and from them we learn about Dr. Maloof's conservation ethics. The story of Saddler's Woods in New Jersey provides a good example. Saddler's Woods is a true urban forest (distinguished from the application of the term to all the vegetation within city or metropolitan limits). Dr. Maloof tells us that "most of those who preserved eastern forests from the rampant logging of the 1800s and 1900s were white-skinned." She also tells us that this was not a result of attitudes towards nature but was a result of land rights and access systems; old-world European rulers granted land to European settlers in the U.S. However, Saddler's Woods was saved by a former slave.

The African blacks brought here as slaves were not granted any land, and the inequity of those two different settlement histories persists today. The wealth disparity between whites and blacks in America stems from ancestral land ownership, and it is perpetuated through inheritance. If we really want equality we will have to do away with inheritance, but I don't foresee that as long as those who benefit from the system as it stands are the ones in power....The man who protected Saddler's Woods didn't get his property through land grants or inheritance. His name was Joshua Saddler, and he was a black slave on a Maryland plantation. In the early 1800s, he escaped to New Jersey with his wife and two daughters, Fearing recapture, he began working for Cy Evans, a Quaker farmer....Evans eventually bought Saddler's freedom from his former owner and helped him purchase a plot of wooded land....his will, dated 1868, stipulated that none of his heirs 'shall cut the timber thereon.'"

Dr. Maloof also offers advice to forest land owners. She encourages the land owner who is negotiating a logging contract "to consider removing five or ten or fifty acres, whatever you can afford, from the logging plan. Watch that reserved corner age, watch how beautiful it becomes, compare it to your logged areas. Let your own senses tell you what is best for your land."  By the way, this is one strategy of creating future old-growth forests.

Among the Ancients is not your ordinary field guide!

Joan Maloof has a great sense of humor which she deploys to great effect in many of the chapters. One of our favorites is from Delaware: James Branch, Trap Pond State Park:

We just waded through the shallows, pulling the canoe along. I would have been happy to walk the entire length of the creek, but that wasn't possible either. My left foot sank into a hole so deep that water rushed over the top of my only dry boot, and soon I was in water up to my thighs. I hauled my wet and muddy self back into the canoe before I had to start swimming.

I have one criticism of the book: the author's anti-urban bias especially in the chapter on Inwood Hill Park in Manhattan. Her humor, this time sharp, is apparent in the following excerpt: "I'm glad the people of Manhattan have a green oasis to visit, but I wouldn't want them to think they were experiencing what it feels like--and sounds like--to be in a real old-growth forest" (original emphasis). It is unfortunate that the author chose an urban park as the example of old-growth in New York state and in New York City. Her final analysis only adds to misconceptions about the role and function of nature in cities. Dr. Maloof hoped that "in the places densest with humans, we would leave space for the forest and habitat for other species." This is the reason she provides for not visiting the Adirondacks or Catskills. Manhattan's human density contributes to the preservation of "wild forest lands" outside the city and you can find "forest and habitat for other species" in the city. Otherwise, I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

We kindly thank Ruka Press for the review copy.

A bronze Zelkova in August

We have been following the death and life of trees in Washington Square Park since we moved to the neighborhood two years ago.  While we have not written much about them (see our English Elm in the Tree Year posts), Washington Square Park Blog author Cathyrn Swan has written extensively about the park's trees.  You can read her tree-related posts here.

Strolling through the park yesterday morning I was struck by the bronze foliage of one of the remaining Zelkovas (Zelkova serrata, Japanese zelkova; Ulmaceae (elm family)) around the fountain.  Bronze is a color typical of fall foliage; this tree is not exhibiting the dark green typical of summer.

The bronze (brown) color indicates leaf scorch.  The entire canopy appears scorched.*  Also, there is some dieback in the center of the canopy.  What are the causes of scorch?  From The Ohio State University "Disease Control in the Landscape" (Bulletin 614):

These diseases commonly result from winter damage as well as from poor root function coupled with high temperatures and moisture shortage. In some cases, bacterial infection of the plant is involved. Scorched leaves are brown around the edges and sometimes between the veins. Leaf yellowing and wilting may occur in late summer. Dieback and decline is often mistaken for Verticillium wilt. No wood streaking is present, however. Girdling roots may also cause these symptoms. See Chapter 7 for identification of Verticillium. Considerable leaf scorch and defoliation occurs in late summer, especially during dry seasons.

When I looked into the tree well I noticed that someone (or an animal) had dug near the trunk and at the edge of the basin. Looking into the cleared soil next to the trunk I did not see the root flare. Planting a tree so that its root flare is at the soil surface is important -- for gas exchange, disease control, and to prevent girdling roots.  Here is another extensive quote, from a Purdue University Extension Forestry & Natural Resources factsheet entitled "Trees Need a Proper Start –Plant Them Right!" by Rita McKenzie and Harvey Holt:

If your objective in tree planting is to grow healthy, long-lived trees, then keeping the bark above ground is vital. Lenticels in the bark are necessary for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide within the tree’s tissues. When tissue is below ground, gaseous exchange cannot take place, and trees become stressed and weakened. Also, bark that is underground on a deeply planted tree is constantly moist and subject to fungus, disease, and insects.

Roots need oxygen, which is more abundant in the top 18” of soil. A properly planted tree’s roots will move laterally in this top layer of soil. However, roots on a deeply planted tree will grow vertically toward the surface searching for oxygen. These roots can encircle the tree and become girdling roots that interfere with the tree as it grows in diameter. If a tree is planted at the proper depth, its roots will not usually hamper tree growth.

Image: A tree with visible root flare, Rita McKenzie and Harvey Holt, Purdue Extension (source)

Here is The visible root flare of a properly planted tree can be seen in the above image. The root flare of a Zelkova serrata can been seen in this image on the William & Mary website. And Here is the trunk at soil level of the Zelkova in Washington Square Park (below):

If this Zelkova was planted correctly with its root flare at the soil surface, this is no longer the case. Mulch and soil have accumulated above the root flare and are contributing to reduced gas and water exchange.

Leaf scorch could be the result of saturated soil which also limits the uptake of gas and water.

Image: London planetree reduced root zone, Washington Square Park

Poor root growth or root loss could also be a contributing factor to leaf scorch.  How did reconstruction of the fountain impact the root zones of the Zelkovas? {Note, 8/27/11: The current trees were planted as part of the fountain-arch alignment project. Reportedly 11 mature, 40-year old trees were removed to accommodate the alignment project.}  Another factor is the sheer heat generated by the granite plaza.  Too, a tree's root zone can extend beyond its crown spread and this Zelkova's potential root area is covered by an impervious material.

Can this tree be saved?  Watering will not turn the brown leaves green, this season, but Colorado State University Extension recommends winter watering as a recovery strategy:

A deep soaking once a month, when there is no snow cover, will help prevent root die-back due to dehydration. The roots of mature trees extend outward several times the height of the tree, and this entire area needs water. To water in winter, choose a day when the air temperature is above freezing and water early enough in the day for the water to soak in before the nighttime freeze. Water that freezes on the surface will cause root suffocation and make the problem worse.

Will the roots of the Zelkovas that have been removed be assessed?  A root assessment might provide an indication of the cause(s) of leaf scorch, dieback, and in general, death of the Zelkovas around the fountain.

(taken on May 13, 2011)

In her most recent tree post for the Washington Square Park Blog, Cathryn featured photographs of the dead and dying trees in and around the park.  Street trees are among the casualties and might have succumbed to high temperatures, lack of water, improper planting and/or poor soil conditions.  I noticed that slow release watering bags (gators) were installed around the lindens on the southeast sidewalk soon after they were planted which might account for their survival.

* I did not check the branches (are they dry and brittle? or limber?) nor did I check below the bark (is it green?) -- the Zelkova might be dead.  

Regular posting will resume later this month

Dear Readers:

The rest of the month will hardly leave time for proper blogging.  Regular posting will resume later this month or in early September.

We will publish occasionally via Twitter (@localecologist) and on Facebook (Local ecologist).

Be well.

Tree Walk: 13 Endangered Shade Trees at Washington Square Village playground

If the NYU 2031 plan is approved as is, the playground at Washington Square Village will be demolished to build a temporary gym and then a permanent academic building. The plan is available at http://www.nyu.edu/nyu2031/nyuinnyc/growth/the-plan.php. Among other losses if this construction occurs, will be the loss of 13 large-stature shade trees: two honeylocusts, five Norway maples, and 6 London planetrees. The trees provide extensive shade to an area that receives sun for most of the day.

Image: Washington Square Village playground.  Note that there are London planetrees outside the playground on its western and eastern boundaries.

The diameter-at-breast-height (in inches) of each tree is as follows:

Honeylocust 1 (northernmost): 18.5"
Honeylocust 2: 16.25

Norway maple (northernmost) 1: 16.7"
Norway maple 2: 16.25
Norway maple 3: 19.25
Norway maple 4: 17.75
Norway maple 5: 15

London planetree (northernmost) 1: 19.75"
London planetree 2: 19
London planetree 3: 15.5
London planetree 4: 18.5
London planetree 5: 18.5
London planetree 6: 20.25

The approximate ecosystem benefits provided by each tree were calculated using i-Tree Design, a USDA Forest Service tree benefits calculator available at http://www.itreetools.org/design.php.  I classified the maples and planetrees as in good condition while I categorized the honeylocusts as in fair condition because past pruning has reduced their natural crown.

You can also use the predecessor of i-Tree Design, the National Tree Benefits Calculator developed by Casey Trees and Davey Tree Expert Co. This calculator, available at http://www.treebenefits.com/calculator, provides property value information. It also provides energy information based on your input of land use type while i-Tree Design uses building age and other criteria to generate its energy calculations.

Below I have provided a mix of gross and specific information for each tree.

Honeylocust 1: 18.5"
$37 in overall annual benefits
$12.17 in air quality benefits
$12.01 in stormwater benefits = interception of 2, 413 gallons of stormwater this year
$1.80 in carbon benefits
At 23.5 inches in diameter, this honeylocust will provide $48 in annual benefits.

Honeylocust 2: 16.25
$32 in overall annual benefits
$14.47 (air quality)
$16.16 (stormwater)
$1.51 (carbon)

Norway maple 1: 16.7"
$26 in overall annual benefits
$12.17 in air quality benefits
$12.01 in stormwater benefits
$1.80 in carbon benefits

Norway maple 2: 16.25
$25 in overall annual benefits
$11.83 (air quality)
$11.45 (stormwater) = interception of 1,432 gallons of stormwater this year
$1.17 (carbon) = removal of 593 pounds of carbon this year
If this maple grows to 21.25 inches, it will provide $35 in annual benefits.

Norway maple 3: 19.25
$31 in overall annual benefits
$13.84 (air quality)
$14.77 (stormwater)
$2.22 (carbon) = removal of 726 pounds of carbon this year (Did you know that one person flying from NYC to LAX generates 1,400 pounds of CO₂?)

Norway maple 4: 17.75
$28 in overall annual benefits
$12.84 (air quality)
$13.11 (stormwater)
$1.97 (carbon)
If this maple gains 5 more inches in diameter, it will provide overall annual benefits of $38.

Norway maple 5: 15
$23 in overall annual benefits
$11 (air quality)
$10.07 (stormwater)
$1.50 (carbon)

London planetree 1: 19.75"
$36 in overall annual benefits
$15.13 in air quality benefits
$18.93 in stormwater benefits
$1.84 in carbon benefits

London planetree 2: 19
$34 in overall annual benefits
$14.64 (air quality)
$18 (stormwater)
$1.77 (carbon)

London planetree 3: 15.5
$23 in overall annual benefits
$11 (air quality)
$10.07 (stormwater) = interception of 1,705 gallons of stormwater this year
$1.50 (carbon) = reduction of 473 pounds of carbon this year
At 20.5 inches, this planetree would provide $37 in overall annual benefits.

London planetree 4: 18.5
$33 in overall annual benefits
$14.29 (air quality)
$17.38 (stormwater)
$1.72 (carbon)

London planetree 5: 18.5
$33 in overall annual benefits
$14.29 (air quality)
$17.38 (stormwater)
$1.72 (carbon)

London planetree 6: 20.25
$37 in overall annual benefits
$15.46 (air quality)
$19.56 (stormwater) = interception of 2,445 gallons of stormwater this year
$1.89 (carbon) = reduction of 604 pounds of carbon this year

These 13 trees currently provide $398 in overall annual benefits to the block, the neighborhood, and the city, and I have not calculated energy savings and aesthetic (property) values.  Also, there are 17 crabapples and hawthorns for which I did not take any measurements.  These understory trees support birds, squirrels, and insects.  This is not to say that the honeylocusts (see http://www.plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/pubs/etpmcfs8420.pdf), Norway maples, and London planetrees do not support wildlife, only that I often observe wildlife use of the shorter canopy trees. Finally, the trees in the playground provide (as yet) immeasurable pyscho-social benefits!

Pop Up (New York) City

Many of our leisure trips have provided content for blog posts.  Several years ago, during a trip to Cleveland, I picked up a copy of Pop Up City, Urban Infill No. Two (2009) edited by the Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative at Kent State University. 

Coincidentally I read through the book again last week which was also when I saw Timeshare Backyard - a rent- and create-your-own-backyard on the vacant lot at 145 Ludlow Street - and visited the BMW Guggenheim Lab - "part urban think tank, part community center and public gathering space" on previously inaccessible park land (and a vacant building lot?) on Houston and First Avenue.

Pop Up City describes the "pop up" phenomenon as follows:

Temporary uses are unplanned, but they are present in every larger city.  Often, they play an important role in a city's public and cultural life as well as in its urban development, but they have thus far been almost completely ignored in official policymaking and city planning circles....What is traditionally regarded as a failure on the part city planners and real estate developers not infrequently represents an opportunity and a resource when seen from the perspective of other actors.

The polished, high-style pop-ups featured in this post do not resemble the ones presented in Kent State's report, with the exception of Timeshare Backyard.  Also, pop-ups are not limited to outdoor spaces.  Winter 2010-2011 saw the arrival of Openhouse Gallery's indoor park, Park Here.  The gallery is "home to New York’s most dynamic pop ups and experiential marketing."

The terminus of the High Line hosted a balloon playground called Rainbow City.  Youngster and I played there with friends after walking the park.  Rainbow City closed in July and OpenHouse is hosting a new pop-up.  Timeshare Backyard is a summer event and the GuggLab closes its New York run in mid-October.

Let us know what is popping up in New York's other boroughs and in your city!

Then & Now: Mercer Street Plaza

Fall 2010

Summer 2011

We wrote about Mercer Plaza in October 2010 and February 2011:
Contested greenspace in Greenwich Village
Mercer Plaza: Make way for NYU green initiatives

English Elm in the Tree Year, part 3

The bright, green spring leaves of the English elm (Ulmus procera) in the northwest corner of Washington Square Park have darkened and the canopy has thickened, too.

Though he was writing about the American elm (U. americana), Arthur Plotnick's description of the shading characteristics of the tree is accurate of this U. procera.

The tall trunk and spreading canopy of the elm made it ideal as a shade tree that cooled buildings and allowed trucks to pass beneath.  A street blessed with rows of elms was like a cathedral (The Urban Tree Book, p. 55).

Interested in documenting the life of a tree this year? Learn more at The Tree Year project website.

Previous English Elm in the Tree Year posts are available at
English Elm in the Tree Year, part 2
English Elm in The Tree Year