We are working to protect the historic northern red oak adjacent to the downstream section of River Walk on Bridge Street.
Northern red oaks are valued symbolically by humans for their beauty and perceived strength. Many visitors to River Walk take notice of this regal tree which provides dense shade in the summer and vibrant colors in the autumn.
Northern red oak trees provide critical food resources and habitats to over 1,000 different species of mammals, birds, and insects. For this reason northern red oak trees are considered a keystone species, or an organism that has an outsized impact on its ecosystem. Keystone species maintain ecological balance - their disappearance can trigger negative effects throughout an ecosystem.
The Oak Tree Garden serves a few purposes. The native plantings add a foliage layer to collect moisture, they trap leaves and other dead organic materials which protects the soil, and they provide habitats for a variety of organisms. Native plants have stronger and more extensive root structures that allow moisture to pass through the soil more deeply and more easily, and the roots keep the soil in place during flooding events. So far we have planted: Uvularia grandiflora (large-flowered bellwort), Matteuccia struthiopteris (ostrich fern), Eurybia schreberi (Schreber's wood-aster), and Solidago caesia (blue-stem goldenrod).
Currently the wire fencing around the oak’s trunk prevents beaver damage. In the coming months you will notice a new fence made from repurposed fence rails and bittersweet vines that will protect the oak and its companion native plants from compaction by vehicle and foot traffic.
The GBLC team will be gathering large and interesting sections of bittersweet vine to create the protective enclosure. Donations are welcome! Contact christine@gbland.org if you would like to donate your bittersweet cuttings.
