Date: Fri 28-Mar-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDREA

Quick Words:

shagbark-hickory-forest

Full Text:

Barking Up The Right Tree Still Time To Find The Biggest Shagbark

B Y A NDREA Z IMMERMANN

The search for the largest shagbark hickory in Newtown will officially end

April 11, so nature lovers best get out their boots and head for the hills.

Whoever wins the Newtown Forest Association's Oldest Living Shagbark Hickory

Contest will receive $500 at a presentation ceremony on Arbor Day (April 25).

The purpose of the contest is to identify the largest tree of the species so

100 offspring can be planted on some of the 60 properties owned by the Forest

Association. It will also encourage young and old alike to learn to identify

one tree by its bark, leaves, and fruit, and help foster an appreciation for

nature. The shagbark was chosen because it is prevalent in Newtown, and is

easily identified by its distinctive bark - large loose plates that curl away

from the tree at both ends. The tree has a large five-leaflet compound leaf

and white nuts enclosed by a large green husk.

As a result of identifying trees for the contest, Newtown may be able to claim

a new state record for the largest shagbark hickory, according to Brian

Hennessey, a Forest Association member and one of the coordinators of the

contest. At one point, Newtown held the state record for the largest white ash

in the state, but that honor slipped through our fingers a while back.

"The contest is going marvelously well. There have been quite a number of

entries - more than we expected," said Allen Flouton, the Forest Association

member who came up with idea for the contest. "The result is not yet clear;

there's still time for someone to come in with a bigger tree and win."

History and the future are juxtaposed within the context of this endeavor. Mr

Flouton thinks it would be interesting to discover what Newtown was like at

the time the largest shagbark began to take root (possibly 150 years ago) -

who owned the property, if there were any landmarks nearby that are still

identifiable, and what the "circumstances of the town" were. Of the 100

offspring planted from the winning grand-daddy tree, Mr Flouton is fairly

certain at least one will be alive 100 years from now!

The game is still afoot, so don't delay. As Mr Flouton says, "The 500 prize is

still twisting in the wind."

Contest rules, entry forms, and a description of the shagbark hickory are

available at the Conservation Office, now located on the first floor of Canaan

House at the Fairfield Hills Campus. Take a string to measure the

circumference of the tree and enclose it in the envelope with your

application. Groups and individuals who enter the contest should mail their

entries to: Newtown Forest Association, PO Box 213, Newtown 06470. Entries

must be postmarked no later than April 11.