Monterey Cypress

Transcript

Dirty Freehub 0:06

This is the Connection, a dirty free hub podcast connecting gravel cyclists to where they ride through short stories about culture, history, people, places in lands.
Well, thank you, Nancy and Beth, for joining us today. I wanted to kick it off and ask you about the Monterey Cypress, which used to be one of the biggest Cypress out in the Oregon coast. So what is so special about this tree?

Beth Dehn – Oregon Travel Information Council 0:34

It is the biggest in Oregon. It’s not the biggest in the world. Those are in New Zealand. But this Cypress is native to the California coast, the central California coast. And it’s unique being up here in Oregon, having been planted in 1857 by a gentleman named Harrison Blake, who was an early, early settler. He was a member of the House of Representatives from Curry County and postmaster of the Genco Post Office. This is the oldest house in the Checo Valley, was originally a stage stop, and Mr. Blake built the house, planted the tree.

Dirty Freehub 1:18

Well, is that tree still standing today?

Beth Dehn – Oregon Travel Information Council 1:21

Of course.

Nancy Appling Salucci of the Heritage Tree Committee 1:22

I think it’s also unique because oftentimes these large champion trees might be in a remote location, but this isn’t a location where people can visit it. It’s it’s in the at the Checo Valley Museum.

Dirty Freehub 1:33

Can you talk a little bit about where it was typically found in, like how it was on the Oregon coast and now you mentioned it’s not the largest tree, the largest one, an organ, but not the largest one in the world. Right.

Beth Dehn – Oregon Travel Information Council 1:43

That’s correct. It’s native to the central coast of California, Carmel Monterey area. And there’s a really large one, the largest one in the United States is in Pescadero, California. And there are larger ones in New Zealand. As I mentioned, the seeds were taken from California to New Zealand and planted as a crop to be harvested for their lumber. And the growing conditions in New Zealand must be a little bit better than here on the coast.

Dirty Freehub 2:16

Yeah, you mentioned that people can go visit this one. Where can people usually see them here on the Oregon coast or is that the only one people can see?

Beth Dehn – Oregon Travel Information Council 2:25

That’s probably the one you should go see. This one has been designated an Oregon heritage tree and its size and sort of the splendor of it is worth the visit.

Dirty Freehub 2:36

Do you know why this one happened to be the one that was preserved?

Nancy Appling Salucci of the Heritage Tree Committee 2:39

I mean, my guess would be, as Nancy talked about, the history of the gentleman who planted it, who we believe planted it was significant regionally and statewide because he was a member of the of the House of Representatives for the state of Oregon. So I guess my assumption and I don’t know if that’s safe to throw out there, is that this was probably a landscaping feature when it was when it’s planted, it might have been intended to be a shade tree, just beautiful. And because the house is also historically significant, it was preserved with the house is my guess. Does that seem safe? Nancy.

Beth Dehn – Oregon Travel Information Council 3:12

And it was planted in 1874. So that’s why it’s the biggest in Oregon. That’s really early in our history.

Dirty Freehub 3:19

Kind of a side question, but what’s your or both of you? What’s your favorite part of like seeing this type of tree or seeing this particular tree?

Beth Dehn – Oregon Travel Information Council 3:27

Oh, come on, we’re tree huggers or. Oh, yeah, just spectacular trees. They they give comfort and joy to everyone.

Nancy Appling Salucci of the Heritage Tree Committee 3:40

Yeah, it’s an experience. And I think what’s unique about the Heritage Tree program is that we’re looking for connections between. Right. Something natural, but then also history that happens. So oftentimes we talk about them as arboreal witnesses, right? These trees have been here for so long and they’ve witnessed these things that have happened in our state’s history. And when you stand under one of those trees, you get it right because you can’t. That tree has been here for centuries. And that’s a really a kind of an amazing thing.

Dirty Freehub 4:08

That’s really well said to and I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of the TED talk. I think her name was Suzanne who did the studies on the trees that talk to each other and their networks. And it was a certain species that did that. It’s kind of like you said. It’s like I mean, I wish she could see a tree. I wish the tree could tell you stories. They are full of history in some sense.

Beth Dehn – Oregon Travel Information Council 4:27

Yeah, well, that’s what the heritage the Oregon Heritage Tree Committee and the program is all about. We are telling these stories for the trees.

Dirty Freehub 4:36

I was going to say, I know I didn’t include on the list of the questions here, but do you guys want to talk about that program a little bit?

Nancy Appling Salucci of the Heritage Tree Committee 4:41

Yeah, well, and it’s a very unique program nationally. So Oregon is the first state to have started a heritage tree program at the state level. I think that is a nod to obviously, Oregon’s Forest history. Right. We have deep roots in that. But it’s a great program because instead of just looking for champion trees, which are also fantastic to look at, and I think the Monterey Cypress is also a great example of a champion tree. But again, the Heritage program is trying to find compelling stories about state, national, even regional history through the trees. So the program started in 1995. Nancy was an original member, which is really cool. It’s a group of dedicated volunteers who have backgrounds as arborists, historians, natural resource folks who are kind of looking at that mix of of nature and history. For a tree to be designated as an Oregon heritage tree, it has to meet one of four criteria. It has to have either made a significant contribution to the broad pattern of our history, has to be associated with the life of a person or a historic group of significance, represent a distinguished entity within the community, or stand out for its size and species. So, you know, at least one of those four criteria, again, Monterey, Cypress, I think, is unique in that it potentially hits all of those. But when a tree is designated, the committee works with a local group and they do a designation ceremony, right. To just recognize it, which is a nice community moment to talk about the history. And then we give the community a plaque to put in the ground. So anyone who goes to visit the Monterey Cypress, for example, will be able to see that in and read a very short history of the tree. And it’s really a lovely program. I think this Monterey Cypress was Oregon’s 26th Heritage Tree. We now have 84 in total that have been designated and the committee reviews nominations regularly. So we’re continually adding to the that scope.

Dirty Freehub 6:35

That’s very cool. You also mentioned something about nomination. Another thing you guys curveball question, So feel free to push it away too. But you were mentioning at nominations. Is that something that the organization organization comes to terms or do people can people submit a tree or how does that process work?

Nancy Appling Salucci of the Heritage Tree Committee 6:52

Yeah, anyone is welcome to submit a nomination. The nomination form is available on our website, so we run this program through the Tribal Information Council. If you go to the Tribal Information Council Heritage Tree site, you’ll find the information The committee meets three times annually and will review applications as they come in. And we’re always looking for new trees, right? We’re always looking for new stories. And sometimes they’re stories that people locally would be more aware of than than we would. So very exciting. And a couple of questions always ask, because we would love to work with them to find the story to.

Beth Dehn – Oregon Travel Information Council 7:28

The application can be found online and that will guide the people through the nomination process with an emphasis on why this tree is significant in the state of Oregon.

Dirty Freehub 7:40

Well, that would be great. I would love to make a cycling route that goes and visits all these heritage trees.

7:48

Is there anything you guys would like to add? Things we didn’t talk about or I didn’t ask about.

Nancy Appling Salucci of the Heritage Tree Committee 7:53

I would just throw out One thing that I think is interesting is that there’s the is it Nancy? Is it the national right? Is it the national champion Registry of Trails? Yeah. So I think it’s important just somehow to explain that there is there are champion trees that are just purely designated in on a list nationally for their size, height, that type of stature. And then there’s Oregon Heritage Trees, which were specifically looking for one of those four criteria, somehow meeting a story of Oregon’s past. So I think you’re getting the best of both worlds. With the Monterey Cypresses, you’re looking at this giant right specimen that’s a gorgeous and beautiful, but also tells this state and regional history of miserably.

Beth Dehn – Oregon Travel Information Council 8:43

A lot of cities throughout Oregon also have heritage or significant tree programs. So if the if a nomination doesn’t necessarily meet our more stringent qualifications, there are programs throughout the state, more on a more local level that would welcome a nomination.

Nancy Appling Salucci of the Heritage Tree Committee 9:04

Yeah. And just for people who do visit this tree, if they’re out biking, cycling, check the Valley Historical Society now occupies the Blake household, which is where the tree is planted. There’s a beautiful, shady area to rest, hang out, check out the tree, visit the local historical society. I’m sure they would be very happy to have visitors.

Dirty Freehub 9:25

That’s wonderful. Thank you so much. I appreciate all the information about it. I’m super stoked about this.

Beth Dehn – Oregon Travel Information Council 9:30

Thanks for inviting us.

Nancy Appling Salucci of the Heritage Tree Committee 9:32

Yeah, thank you.

Dirty Freehub 9:34

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