Europe bound

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Viljandi, Estonia. Wwoofed (willing workers on organic farms) on this sheep farm for a week, pretty cold about -15 the whole week
they had a couple pretty cool trees about the place
Betula pendula

 

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same farm in estonia
this is a Tilia cordata? I think, there are a few varieties around, but this is the one I collected seed from. Pretty beautiful tree...

 

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Tallin, Estonia. Botanical gardens
Larix decidua
Overall every tree in this place needed work done to ensure longevity...but many were open grown and took on pretty cool form.
It didnt look like (judging from cuts seen) that there were properly trained arborists on staff. Hope I dont offend any Estonians with this, but its the truth. Funding is tight in these countries, but they took the time to plant em, right?

 

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Gauja National Park, Latvia.
Fraxinus through castle ruins

 

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Klaipeda, Lithuania (Baltic coast)
Salix...

 

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Kaunas, Lithuania
Quercus robur...

Huge park called Oak Park. Full of oaks like these.
I have been using couchsurfing.com to find places to stay instead of relying on hostels. This guy Patrick was totally down to give me a tour of big trees in his city...

 

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Bailoweiza (sp.) National reserve, Poland
Quercus robur
not even close to the biggest... but pretty big, 150 feet tall

 

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Prauge, Czech Republic
Salix in front of monestary from about 1200

 

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Prauge, Czech
Fagus sylvatica

Prague has some awesome parks. These were some of the bigger beeches Ive ever seen, they were healthy and had awesome crowns. Good rec climbs for sure

 

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Location, mmm Czech. Remember when George W. was gonna build some missile defense crap against the Russians,
Well this is the area he was gonna put the radar. technically off limits to anyone. My tour guide snuck me in for an 18 mile cross country ski... Dont tell!

Quercus robur, probably the nicest one I've ever seen, it split into 2 stems at the base, but they were each at least 6 feet across

 

[chep]

I am now into Germany. In the Bavaria region.The forests are pretty strictly silviculture and the street trees here are exceptionally "pollarded" if you get my drift. But tomorrow I am going to visit a Botanical Garden in Nurenburg. So we'll see what treasures I find.

 

[TC]

thanks for taking the time to post the pics, some very cool tree pics there

 

[cmw]

Great to hear from you, Ben.

Love the Q. robur...and I thought we had some big ones here at the arb!

I guess your not making your annual pilgrimage to Steven's Pass, eh?

Chris

 

[chep]

Watson, you rascal. Havent heard much from you in a while...
Stevens Pass is not on my to do list this year...But my bro is still up there if you need a spot to crash.

The Quercus are the tallest oaks I have ever seen. Diameter wise not as much. But man, they were the emergents in this forest. The stems went up and up and up, then had huge wide crowns that dominated. I had never seen hardwoods that acted as the overwhelming dominatin emergent species in a forest. Usually, its the conifers that stick out above all others.

I've seen fatter oaks in arboretums only (Rochester, NY, Longwood Gardens)but never taller.

On a different note: I have had a hard time trying to capture large trees on camera from the ground. Especially in forested situations. Maybe some of the big tree photo masters could shed some light on that subject?

Maybe I just have a crappy camera?

thanks

 

[countryboypa31]

Great pictures. Keep them coming!

 

[cmw]

[ QUOTE ]
I have had a hard time trying to capture large trees on camera from the ground.

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe you should climb 'em then

 

[TLHamel]

Cool man! Great photos and a wonderful trip!

 

[chep]

Dearest buzzers, long time no post... However, I have lots too share! I am only 2 days away from making a return to the states and am giddy with excitement.
I want to show you tree pics from czech, germany, spain, scotland and ireland... but I have put them on flickr, can anyone tell me how to put them on the buzz from flickr?
hmmm
xo
chep