 |
 |
||
A fall expedition to |
|||
| In September of 2005, ecologist, Gary Fleming, and retired Suffolk teacher, Byron Carmean, were walking alongside a flooded slough that diverges from the Nottoway River. They stumbled upon a grove of swamp tupelos (Nyssa aquatica) and bald cypress(Taxodium distichum) that contained many trees of exceptional, even record, size and strange growth forms indicative of very old age. At least 12 individual swamp tupelos, and six individual bald cypress exceed eight feet in diameter. Included in the find were a bald cypress of 35’ circumference, water tupelo of 31 and 32’ circumference, and an overcup oak (Quercus lyrata) of 19’8” circumference. Many large snags and fallen logs, as well as grotesque deformities in the buttresses and crowns of the overstory trees, suggest this stand is very old. The larger trees at Cypress Bridge possibly exceed a thousand years in age! | |||
 |
Don’t wait to register. Accessible only by canoe or kayak crossing and located in a wetlands habitat, tour spaces are limited. This old-trees field trip is simply not to be missed. The tour leaves from the Upper Arboretum parking lot at 8:00 am Saturday morning, September 19th. Trip cost is $40 and covers round trip transportation, canoes, & guides to help Ferry folks to the site. Bring your lunch and some snacks, pest repellent, and plenty of drinking water, and wear mud shoes and clothing suitable for a wetlands habitat. |
 |
|