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CIAIPIONTREES
<br /> intermix." There are benefits and 0
<br /> dangers to living there. Where you ,
<br /> live dictates the forest type, weather
<br /> Mexicos .4gekss G' t
<br /> patterns, and fire history that will, in
<br /> turn, determine your risk of wildfire.
<br /> Find out what measures your
<br /> By f there was such a thing as the Well, almost nobody. The tree has a
<br /> Lori Worldwide Register Re $� ter of Big Trees, the full-time caretaker who sits in a lawn
<br /> Wright Montezuma baldcypress (Taxodium chair by its trunk. He tries growing
<br /> mucronatum) just south of Oaxaca, seedlings in tin cans and is able to keep all
<br /> sl Mexico, surely would be at the top of his tools in an 18 -inch -wide crevice in the
<br /> 7
<br /> the list. If it's not the biggest tree in the tree. In addition to visitors who pay for a
<br /> world, then it comes awfully dose, close -up look at the tree, the caretaker is
<br /> . according to Jack Siebenthaler, a consul- kept company by a family of dogs that
<br /> ~,`. - `� . _ ting arborist commissioned by the local live in the think of this green giant.
<br /> government to evaluate the tree's health. Siebenthaler recently started working
<br /> "If there was an accurate way to with AMERICAN FORESTS' Famous and
<br /> measure tree mass, it would not surprise Historic Tree program on a propagation
<br /> me at all if it was the largest living project. If the propagation efforts are
<br /> ••.... , . organism on earth," he said. The tree has successful, an accompanying education
<br /> j x °" - - a circumference of 119 feet, a crown program would teach Mexican school-
<br /> spread of 150 feet, and a height of children about planting and growing
<br /> 'fi. ^- approximately 141 feet. seedlings, a subject they do not typically
<br /> Siebenthaler and two colleagues study in school.
<br /> ''' ` < ; ? found that this Montezuma baldcy press, Hopefully, flourishing Montezuma
<br /> r w w - which is at least 3,500 years old, is in baldcypresses will again cover Mexico
<br /> superb health. But its fellow Montezuma and parts of Texas. In the meantime, the
<br /> �� , baldcypresscs or what's left of them— biggest of its species —and one of the
<br /> are not. Because of deforestation and
<br /> "� ' � �� � biggest trees in the world —is growing tall
<br /> --'t a� `* $ ' �x , ,: 0 general neglect, Siebenthaler saw only 12 and wide for all to see. OF
<br /> < 1 r ‘�1 '4 specimens in the surrounding area.
<br /> "' . ` ` "Nobody understands the [ecological] * AMERICAN FORESTS' Big Trees program
<br /> ,,, „ `;�. a im of these] trees, which are
<br /> �. , ) s is sponsored by the Davey Tree Expert
<br /> native to Mexico," he said. Company.
<br /> £ i. ,rte � � t� 3 ' Ia r" ; °
<br /> ; �_ '- . 1 "^w The .T
<br /> Wildfires have become an everyday champion ' . } " '
<br /> :oncern for homeowners on the edge of Montezuma a C sf
<br /> wtural surroundings. baldcypress. „ e � � I t
<br /> 1 ' i f $ ' F
<br /> •ommunity has taken to safeguard f
<br /> tself from fire. Your efforts can if ` r �' 1� '
<br /> ,reatl lower the y ��� '
<br /> +
<br /> y risk to neighbors j'
<br /> nd to yourself. Contact your local, R P f ' 'i 4 ,.:4°
<br /> . m ,_ Y
<br /> fate, or federal forest representative ;+
<br /> p L ori W i s , ,,. " '. ''''t;;;.".'
<br /> .
<br /> find out which of the following 4 " ' I " a }� . , `
<br /> g F ORESrs ' — � • - 5 *''c « , ir-. .
<br /> recautions should be taken to protect , ' � "`` = %I.' 4 = � " - ,k :! ,. . � ]
<br /> P p ro g ram serv - "" ° � ! H
<br /> ourpropertyfromfire.UF assistant. ��x. 1 ��t1CYl� 31 �E' Z
<br /> ,- ".'. ^ ? p � ' s � ,., ilia#& 's --
<br /> �� �1Vi ►.r�ai Std- „
<br /> URBAN FORESTS OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1992
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