Anne Frank's Chestnut Tree

A

AxeKnot

Anne Frank\'s Chestnut Tree

The Horse Chesnut tree(Aesculus hippocastanum) that Anne Frank mentioned many times in her diaries is to be removed.

She could see the tree through a small window from her hideout in the roof of the house in Amsterdam.

She was hiding from the Nazis during World War 2

The Amsterdam Council have spent 160000 Euros($160000) trying to save it since 1993 on soil work/pruning etc.

The decision was made to remove the tree after it was decided that the tree had become unsafe due to decay caused by Ganoderma applanatum.

As far as I know it is still standing, I was thinking some of you may have some suggestions for saving it.

Scroll down on the wiki page to read 'Efforts to save the tree'

Efforts to save Anne Frank's Chestnut(Wiki)

This is a website set up to help people remember Anne Franks story using the famous Horse Chestnut. Very professional website.

www.annefranktree.com

A very interesting story about a valuable heritage tree.
 
Re: Anne Frank\'s Chestnut Tree

Good post. I think the tree's day has come. Maybe they could remove the tree while it still has some sound wood and create some art with it. Perhaps auction off the pieces for a worthy cause. The only constant is change. Fungi have to eat too.
 
Re: Anne Frank\'s Chestnut Tree

They are going to plant another tree in its place.
I think they are germinating seeds from the original tree.

People who want to remember the tree and what it meant are planting chestnuts in different places around the world.
 
Re: Anne Frank\'s Chestnut Tree

I am truly amazed at peoples lack of interest in this story.

One comment is all there has been.

What a sad reflection on Treebuzz.

I suppose its because nearly everyone that comes on here is obsessed with climbing.

I wonder how many of you guys would still be in this industry if there was a worldwide ban on treeclimbing?

Last time I checked....our job was about trees.

What a sad reflection indeed.
 
Re: Anne Frank\'s Chestnut Tree

Sad when a tree has to go. What else can you say?

42% is not that hollow, but if other signs show that decline is irreversible, it's time. That has to be the world's highest target rating.
 
Re: Anne Frank\'s Chestnut Tree

Very true about the target rating.

Seemingly the initial problem was a fuel leak from a home(kerosene tank?) nearby which caused the tree the initial stress.

Thats why they did so much soil work.

The crown reduction was done in an attempt to minimise windthrow.

Amazing they spent $160000 on the management plan to save this tree.

Is this the most that has ever been spent on a single tree?

I know of a giant Oak in Virginia that 'the Care of Trees' spent more than $30000 on - lighting protection, deadwooding, mulching, irrigation system etc.

It was the centre piece and focal point of a new multi million dollar home for the elderly.

Last I heard it was in decline. Possibly stress caused by construction, even though it was fenced off to the dripline.

I will try to find out more on this tree.
 
Re: Anne Frank\'s Chestnut Tree

Axeknot, you're a fellow mycophile. Wood'nt it be neat to collect those artist's conks and commision some scrimshaw's? I hope that someone has the foresight to preserve something of this tree. Everytime I read a story about what trees really mean to us humans, I remind myself about why I work in/with them. Again, good post.
 
Re: Anne Frank\'s Chestnut Tree

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Amazing they spent $160000 on the management plan to save this tree.


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Thats ludacris! Is that 160K? Thousand? I can't think of any tree that valuable to me.
 
Re: Anne Frank\'s Chestnut Tree

[ QUOTE ]

Thats ludacris! Is that 160K? Thousand? I can't think of any tree that valuable to me.

[/ QUOTE ]
It's not your money that we're talking about. I can think of trees worth more than that. After all, people pay tens of millions for a picasso painting that looks like something my dog could do.
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Re: Anne Frank\'s Chestnut Tree

Thanks, Axe, great thread. I think many buzzers never get to this forum. I'm sad to admit it is my first time over, on your prompt from that other thread
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. Slow reader, mainly, and not enough time to cover my main interests in the climbing and rigging sections.

It's sad to say, but I've sometimes made light of some people's over-sentimentalizing trees (when they speak of "his arms" or "her heart"); or gotten impatient with a customer who refused to see the light and remove a dangerous tree. But this thread helps me remember, as I need to from time to time, just how important trees are to people. Nobody needs to tell me how much I love the Linden in our front yard; I need to respect the general human connection to trees better.

Clearly, it had to come down, and that's the way of life. It can be turned into mulch, and returned to the earth, and that is some solice, I guess.

Thanks.
 
Re: Anne Frank\'s Chestnut Tree

First time I saw this, sad story of our living history dying off. It amazes me what these things we work in or with have seen, two weeks ago i worked in the leamington oak down here, its estimated to be nearly 400 years old. It has been around for so much of our history
 
Re: Anne Frank\'s Chestnut Tree

Its near a golf course, on HHI, its in leamington, which is in palmetto dunes if you are familiar with the island.

Sorry no pics, didnt have my camera that day. It is a HUGE Live oak
 
Re: Anne Frank\'s Chestnut Tree

I have a friend who use to climb in Raleigh, said the live oaks in that area were awesome - very long gravity defining horizontal limbs.

Will check them out someday.
 
Re: Anne Frank\'s Chestnut Tree

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

Thats ludacris! Is that 160K? Thousand? I can't think of any tree that valuable to me.

[/ QUOTE ]
It's not your money that we're talking about. I can think of trees worth more than that. After all, people pay tens of millions for a picasso painting that looks like something my dog could do.
laugh.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

Fair enough, but trees are renewable resources right? Picasso isn't working anymore.

Not to put words in a historical figures mouth, but I would wonder what Anne Frank would think of spending that kind of bread on a tree? Perhaps she'd rather see it go to help victims of other war torn countries?

But who cares. Like you said, Guy, it isn't my money.
 
Re: Anne Frank\'s Chestnut Tree

[ QUOTE ]
I would wonder what Anne Frank would think of spending that kind of bread on a tree? Perhaps she'd rather see it go to help victims of other war torn countries?


[/ QUOTE ]

I think the tree was important because people could see and read about it from the window in the house, it helped make the diary more tangible.

Like you could stand there and imagine what it was like to be trapped in that house, looking up at the tree gave anne hope like they give us all hope.

They obviously give you hope, hope of making money.
 
Re: Anne Frank\'s Chestnut Tree

It's a great loss such a tree and I would like to keep a tree in it's place for as long as possible, but...

What p isses me of is that there are some company's in Holland that make the BIG bucks over a/an/any ignorant customers back.

Not that this particular customer is an ignorant one (community Amsterdam) but they are playing with the feeling of a very big group of people.

Oooo mister tree surgeon can you rescue my tree?
Yes mam, we surely can. It's gonna cost you but at least we will try. Oooo how noble.
A few years later the tree will die anyway because the work done couldn't stop the fungal infestation through the root wounds.

If the work done, would have been focused on the reduction (in phases) of the crown than there wouldn't have rolled so much tax money € 160.000,00 (about $225.000,00) into the pockets of a
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money hungry 'tree lover'.

BTW There are many hundreds of seedlings of that tree already IN that garden.

Taking a tree down doesn't have to result in a tree removal.

There is so much room left for a loving and caring group of tree dudes ( www.treehugs.nl ) between leaving a dangerous tree and a removal. And you know what... It,s free of charge
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because they care about the tree AND the people's memory of Anne.
more info on the Anne Frank tree at the same treehugs website
Sorry it's in Dutch.
 
Re: Anne Frank\'s Chestnut Tree

If you require the full story about the tree contact Pius Floris in Amsterdam, It was my old work mates that did the investigation and reduction.

Scotty
 
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