Big ol' tree

To The Eagle,

It is my observation that the two factions at opposition to the fate of the tree at Strong Park might be operating under faulty assumptions or coming to poor conclusions.

Faulty assumption #1: The age of a tree is a lineal function of its diameter. With Doug Fir this is absolutely wrong. I have milled a few pieces of Doug Fir in the last 50 years. I probably have 20,000 board feet of it in inventory right now. When the tree is young it might put on two or three rings an inch. As the tree ages, these rings (annual, one ring a year) get closer and closer together. It is not uncommon even today to find commercial Doug Fir lumber with thirty lines to the inch. In theory, a 60” tree could be as much as 300 years older than a 50” tree. The only empirical way to tell is to core it, and I would not recommend that.

Faulty assumption #2: The only solution to maintaining an ADA compliant trail is to destroy the tree. This is obviously false. Any competent Landscape Engineer could design a solution to that challenge without a problem.

In conclusion, the goals of the contending parties are not mutually exclusive. A satisfactory solution to all is well within reach with just a little courteous compromise.

Robert L. Jungers

General Manager

Elochoman Millworks Inc.