This Old Tree

A lone mulberry tree stands beside the Washington Monument. It is curious, unexpected, and impossible to ignore once you notice it. Who planted it? Is it historic? Is it one tree or two? Why is it preserved, when there is no other tree on the immediate grounds? D.C. tree tour guide Sam Nelson chased down the answers, found in a 2014 government report. The author is landscape historian Jonathan Pliska, who also wrote A Garden for the President: A History of the White House Gardens . In celebration of America's 250th birthday, host Doug Still hands the mic to Sam and Jonathan for a conversation that explores the mysteries of this mulberry tree next to our iconic national monument. The story involves several early champions of 19th century horticulture, and the history of the National Mall itself. Guests Sam Nelson Writer, Educator, Naturalist Tree Stories, LLC Jonathan Pliska Author and Landscape Historian A Garden for the President: A History of the White House Gardens References Historic American Landscape Survey (HALS), National Park Service (website ) Music "The Dying Poet," Louis Moreau Gottschalk, 1863 Played by Jim Rice Photo credit Sam Nelson Theme Music "This Old Tree," Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com Artwork Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home Website thisoldtree.show Transcripts available. Follow on Facebook or Instagram This Old Tree podcast is a sponsored project of the New England Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture . To support This Old Tree and New England ISA, click here . We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~4 or 5 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to: doug@thisoldtree.net This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators. litartsri.org

Kongeegen, or the 1,500 year old “King’s Oak,” is deep inside a forest called Jægerspris Nordskov in Denmark. The tree is named after 19th century King Frederik VII, who owned a nearby castle with his wife, the Countess Danner. It is a national treasure and one of northern Europe’s oldest living oak trees. Getting there meant a two-mile hike through the woods with guests Anders Jensen of the Danish Tree Association and forest historian Helle Serup of The Green Museum. They tell the biological story of Kongeegen, and how Denmark sees its forests. But there is also a love story - a tangled affair between the unconventional Frederik, the Countess Danner (aka Louise Rasmussen), and a wealthy newspaper publisher named Carl Berling. The Countess's own love letters embellish this true story from her point of view - scandal, romance, and all - and how it led them to seek shelter from the rain under this ancient oak. Guests Helle Serup Curator, Det Grønne Museum (The Green Museum) Auning, Denmark Anders Jensen Vice Chairman Dansk Træplejeforening (The Danish Tree Care Association) Reading " Beneath Kongeegen" by Doug Still and Ida Zecco, read by Ida Zecco and Martha Douglas-Osmundson (Louise Rasmussen's letters) References "Din hengivnes Louise": Louise Rasmussens breve til Carl Berling og kronprins/kong Frederik VII, 1844-1850." Ved Pernille Arenfeldt og Pernille Hasselsteen. Kong Frederik VII's Stiftelse Paa Jægerspris, Forlaget Fremad, Music "La Sylphide, Music for the Bournonville ballet" by Herman Severin Løvenskiold. Royal Danish Orchestra, Chandos Records, 1991. Special thanks Dansk Træplejeforening Robb Barnard Ed Nardell Theme Music "This Old Tree," Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com Artwork Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home Website thisoldtree.show Transcripts available. Follow on Facebook or Instagram This Old Tree podcast is a sponsored project of the New England Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture . To support This Old Tree and New England ISA, click here . We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~4 or 5 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to: doug@thisoldtree.net This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators. litartsri.org

Sa Melabrina is a Downy Oak tree the size of a small church, draped in moss and ferns. Her ancient arms spread wide in the surrounding forest near Illorai, Sardinia. She's the oldest and largest of her kind in all of Europe. And she's been standing here in these mountains for nine centuries. What she symbolizes is even greater than her beauty. The town’s mayor organized a remarkable conference drawing scientists, conservationists, and community leaders from across Sardinia and beyond, all united around a single idea: that Sardinia's ancient trees, its oldest living landmarks, could form a network worth protecting, visiting, and fighting for. There is something else at stake. Sardinia's small towns are quietly shrinking. Depopulation is hollowing out villages that have survived for millennia. Saving these old trees is vital, but Sardinia's leaders ask a new type of question: Can Sa Melabrina and Sardinia’s monumental trees save its small towns? Guests Gianluca Grande, Mayor Illorai , Sardinia Dr. Gianluigi Bacchetta Professor, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences Director, Centre for the Conservation of Biodiversity and Germplasm Bank of Sardinia University of Cagliari, Sardinia Pina Muras Resident of Illorai, Sardinia Carlo Poddi Arborist, Sassari, Sardinia Readings " Su chercu pius bellu" (The Most Beautiful Oak) by Ignazio Camarda - read by Fulgenzio Piras "The Sa Melabrina Oak" by Graziano Nudda Quote by T.S. Eliot from "The Little Gidding" Voiceover Readers Manuela Buonanno (Pina Muras) Jeff Taliaferro (Graziano Nudda reading) Music Sa Melabrina Choir Conference hospitality provided by Proloco Oak Species of Sardinia - Quercus pubescens group Quercus dalechampii (Downy Oak) Quercus ichnusae Quercus congesta Quercus virgiliana Other Oak species in Sardinia Quercus ilex (Holm Oak) Quercus suber (Cork Oak) Quercus calliprinos Quercus morisi Theme Music "This Old Tree," Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com Artwork Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home Website thisoldtree.show Transcripts available. Follow on Facebook or Instagram This Old Tree podcast is a sponsored project of the New England Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture . To support This Old Tree and New England ISA, click here . We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~4 or 5 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to: doug@thisoldtree.net This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators. litartsri.org

In the small Estonian town of Orissaare, football players dribble around a 150-year-old oak tree standing impossibly in the middle of their soccer field or "stadium." What seems like a quirky local oddity became a symbol of national pride when this tree won the 2015 European Tree of the Year, beating much larger countries like Hungary, Spain, and the UK. How did an unknown Estonian oak outcompete all of Europe? The answer involves brilliant PR, ancient folklore, a fierce independence forged by centuries of foreign invasion, and a profound connection to forests rooted in animism. Could a tree resist the Soviets? Learn about its inspiring legend that captured the attention of tree-lovers around the world. Guests Aliide Naylor Journalist and Author London, UK The Shadow in the East: Vladimir Putin and the New Baltic Front aliidenaylor.com Heiki Hanso Arborist Orissaare, Estonia Andla Rüütel Manager, Orissaare Sports Hall Orissaare, Estonia Voiceover Reading for Andla Rüütel Martha Douglas-Osmundson LinkedIn Profile Songs (in order) "Saaremaa valss," Georg Ots "Ma vaatan paadist kiikriga," Boris Lehtlaan "Metsavendade laul (sõnadega) - Forest Brothers' Song," Untsakad "Isegi unes," Stig Rästa (permission from FAAR Music ) Other References "The Favours of the Sacred Tree," Estonian Folk Tales: the Heavenly Wedding, Piret Paar and Anne Turnpu, authors, 2005. Silence of the Gods: The Untold History of Europe's Last Pagan Peoples , Francis Young, 2025. European Tree of the Year , Environmental Partnership Association Theme Music "This Old Tree," Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com Artwork Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home Website thisoldtree.show Transcripts available. Follow on Facebook or Instagram This Old Tree podcast is a sponsored project of the New England Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture . To support This Old Tree and New England ISA, click here . We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~4 or 5 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to: doug@thisoldtree.net This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators. litartsri.org

What happens when six arborists come down from the trees to step behind the mic? Find out by listening to this special episode of stories by tree professionals told LIVE in front of an audience at the annual conference of the New England Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture. Where does the adrenaline come from? What barriers have been climbed? What drives them, ropes and harness in hand? Hear what arborists say about defining moments in their careers, their struggles, and what they love about their profession. Guests Heidi Shingleton Arborist Dirigo Tree Service Freeport, ME David Anderson Arborist Mayer Tree Service Essex, MA June Moulis Student, Urban Forestry and Arboriculture Concentration UMASS Amherst Tom Marino Certified Arborist SavATree Norwalk, CT Lindsay Watkins Strafford County Forester UNH Cooperative Extension Durham, NH Rich Cartier Northeast Territory Manager Rainbow Ecoscience Milford, MA Stories told on location at "The Canopy Connection: 2025 New England Chapter ISA Annual Conference and Trade Show," Southbridge, MA, October 7, 2025. Music "Not Long Now," Falconer Theme Music "This Old Tree," Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com Artwork Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home Website thisoldtree.show Transcripts available. Follow on Facebook or Instagram This Old Tree podcast is a sponsored project of the New England Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture . To support This Old Tree and New England ISA, click here . We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~4 or 5 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to: doug@thisoldtree.net This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators. litartsri.org

High up in California's Sierra Nevada mountains stands the largest tree on earth by volume - the General Sherman Tree. The famous giant sequoia has captivated millions of visitors, but few know the rich tapestry of stories woven around its massive trunk. Join us as we explore the “Giant Forest” of Sequoia National Park with former park ranger and author William C. Tweed. From the indigenous Monache and Yokuts who first walked among these giants, to ambitious Euro-American explorers like John Muir, to a Black Army Captain who became the parks first true manager, discover how "first encounters" with giant sequoias become life altering events. What evolutionary secrets allow sequoias to get so big? Why do frequent fires help them to survive? And what is "sequoia time?" The General Sherman tree and its mates have changed how we view the natural world and our place within it. Guest William C. Tweed Author and Retired Chief Naturalist Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, CA King Sequoia Challenge of the Big Trees: The History of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (co-author with Lary M. Dilsaver) Readers Josh Abrams (Hale Tharp) Ewen Eadie (John Muir) Jeff Taliaferro (Capt. Charles Young) Music Justin Peters Tree Visitor Interview Tom Allen Emmy Riley Alex Allen Organizations That Support Giant Sequoias National Park Service, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Giant Sequoias Land Coalition Sequoia Parks Conservancy Save the Redwoods League Ancient Forest Society Tule River Tribe of California Theme Music "This Old Tree," Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com Artwork Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home Website thisoldtree.show Transcripts available. Follow on Facebook or Instagram This Old Tree podcast is a sponsored project of the New England Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture . To support This Old Tree and New England ISA, click here . We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~4 or 5 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to: doug@thisoldtree.net This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators. litartsri.org

Some trees are old — and then there's S’Ozzastru. Nestled near the village of Luras on the island of Sardinia, this ancient olive tree has stood for nearly 4,000 years. Also known as "The Great Patriarch" or "The Patriarch of Nature," the bronze age tree is a living witness to the rise and fall of civilizations. How has it endured for millennia? Who, across the centuries, has found shelter beneath its branches? And will the millennial olive trees of Sardinia continue to survive? Join us as we travel to the heart of the Mediterranean in search of secrets to one of the world’s oldest living trees. 🌿 Guests Anna Maria Corda Tour Guide, Olivastri di Millenari di Luras Luras, Sardinia, Italy Marco Campus Agronomist, AGRIS Progetto Olivi Montiferru Oristano, Sardinia Fabio Piras Agronomist, AGRIS Progetto Olivi Montiferru Oristano, Sardinia Gianluigi Pili Agronomist, AGRIS Progetto Olivi Montiferru Oristano, Sardinia Emanuele Cauli Agronomist, AGRIS Progetto Olivi Montiferru Oristano, Sardinia Music Launeddas - Luigi Lai Cantu a tenore vocals - Su Dillu Songs from "S'arreppicu," Luigi Lai Ripsosa pippiu Fiorassiu in la (danza) Goccius a Santu Idiu S'arrepicu Reading Elias Portolu by Grazia Deledda Translated by Kevan Houser Guest Reader Manuela Buonanno Other References International Olive Council website "Why the Mediterranean is a Climate Change Hotspot," MIT News Special thanks to Ed Nardell Cristiana and Valerio, B&B Archè Theme Music "This Old Tree," Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com Artwork Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home Website thisoldtree.show Transcripts available. Follow on Facebook or Instagram This Old Tree podcast is a sponsored project of the New England Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture . To support This Old Tree and New England ISA, click here . We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~4 or 5 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to: doug@thisoldtree.net This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators. litartsri.org

Have you seen those breathtaking aerial photos of a solitary ginkgo tree in a courtyard, its leaves creating a perfect golden carpet of fallen leaves? This isn't just any tree—it's a 1,400-year-old living witness to history, standing tall within the walls of China's Gu Guanyin Buddhist Temple. While its stunning autumn transformation goes viral online each year, the story behind this magnificent being remains largely unknown to Western audiences. Why was this particular tree planted at this particular temple? Could it really have been placed there by Emperor Taizong himself, one of China's most celebrated rulers? Why are ginkgo trees so special? Join us as we unravel the mysteries of this famous ginkgo tree and explore its remarkable connection to the golden age of the Tang Dynasty. Guests Professor Ruihong Di Northwest University Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China Peter Del Tredici Urban Ecologist and Botanist Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University Boston, MA www.peterdeltredici.com Wild Urban Plants of the Northeast: A Field Guide Reader Wiley Wang Machine Intelligence Engineer Palm Springs, CA "Traditional Folk Tale of Gu Guanyin Temple" edited by Doug Still Voiceover Reading for Ruihong Di Martha Douglas-Osmundson LinkedIn Profile Music " Farewell at the Yangguan Pass," traditional, Tang Dynasty Xiao-zhong Wu soloist People's Association Chinese Orchestra 1992 Yellow River Other References The Ruler's Guide: China's Greatest Emperor and His Timeless Secrets of Success, Chinghua Tang, Scribner, 2017. Ginkgo: The Tree That Time Forgot, Peter Crane, Yale University Press, 2013. Photo Credit FlyOverChina, Xinhua News Agency Theme Music "This Old Tree," Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com Artwork Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home Website thisoldtree.show Transcripts available. Follow on Facebook or Instagram This Old Tree podcast is a sponsored project of the New England Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture . To support This Old Tree and New England ISA, click here . We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~4 or 5 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to: doug@thisoldtree.net This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators. litartsri.org

Welcome to the fourth edition of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, where guests get to tell their own tree stories! Salacious pepper trees, historic oaks, a tree named after a Marvel character, a beech tree's farewell at a college reunion, big tree hunters, an old growth tulip poplar in Queens, a neighborhood ash tree in Amsterdam, and the largest tree at Kew Gardens - this episode has it all. Listen to what people have to say about the trees that inspire them. Guests Stephanie Carrie Screenwriter, Sketch Writer, Comedian Los Angeles, CA Trees of LA @treesofla (Instagram) https://www.stephaniecarrie.me/ Denise Lewis Masters Student, Urban Forestry UMASS Amherst Amherst, MA Devi Lakhia Student, The Learning Center Goa, India Fred Breglia Executive Director, The Landis Arboretum Ancient Forests and Champion Trees (Facebook) Big Tree Hunters (Instagram) Ellen Cliggott Freelance Content Marketing Writer and Editor LinkedIn Profile Barnstable, MA Magali Duzant Artist and Writer Website A Tree Grows in Queens Nadina Galle Ecological Engineer, Technologist, Writer, Speaker Website The Nature of Our Cities The Netherlands and Canada Mark Johnston Arborist, Urban Forester, Consultant, Professor, Author Website Planting Ideas in the Urban Forest: Autobiography of a Tree Expert Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK Theme Music "This Old Tree," Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com Artwork Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home Website thisoldtree.show Transcripts available. Follow on Facebook or Instagram This Old Tree podcast is a sponsored project of the New England Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture . To support This Old Tree and New England ISA, click here . We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~4 or 5 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to: doug@thisoldtree.net This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators. litartsri.org

Meet Kabirvad, a 500 yr-old, 4 acre banyan tree in the heart of Gujarat, India. The spectacular tree is a national treasure associated with Saint Kabir, a 15th century mystic poet known for his timeless poetry. He challenged institutions, religions and social convention. Who was he, and how is his legend tied to a banyan tree? Journey to India to learn about Kabirvad. In understanding the tree, you may find the essence of Kabir himself. Guests Prof. Srinivas Reddy Guest Professor, Humanities Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, India Author, Illuminating Worlds: An Anthology of Classical Indian Literature Sankalpana Dr. Linda Hess Professor Emerita, Stanford University Linda-Hess.com Bodies of Song: Kabir Oral Traditions and Performative Worlds in North India Ronak Kevadiya Range Forest Officer Forest and Environment Office, Govt. of Gujarat Bharuch, India Dr. Vikrant Jain Professor, Earth Sciences Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, India Short Kabir Interviews Abhia Lakhia Jayraj Bhatt Anuja Bhatt Dr. Sudhanshu Sharma Kabeer Jesusa Kabir Poems Reader Gairik Sachdeva Cambridge, MA Lineages of Innovations (Substack) Kabir poems translated and provided by Linda Hess Music Raga Ahiri, performed by Srinivas Reddy (sitar), Rajiv Bhatt (tabla) and Sameer Sahasrabuddhe (tabla) Other References Burn Down Your House: Provocations from Kabir, Shabnam Virmani Gods, Wasps and Stranglers: The Secret History and Redemptive Future of Fig Trees , Michael Shanahan Additional thanks to Dr. Paula Richman and Dr. Michael Fisher for sharing their knowledge and resources on India. Lisa Rodriguez at Osco Pharmacy, for providing all of the vaccinations I needed for my trip! Theme Music "This Old Tree," Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com Artwork Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home Website thisoldtree.show Transcripts available. Follow on Facebook or Instagram This Old Tree podcast is a sponsored project of the New England Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture . To support This Old Tree and New England ISA, click here . We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~4 or 5 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to: doug@thisoldtree.net This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators. litartsri.org

Did you know the British are mad about mulberries? A 415 yr-old black mulberry tree stands at Charlton House & Gardens, the oldest specimen in London and highly beloved. Its story involves King James I and a courtier named Sir Adam Newton, the tutor to the King's eldest son Henry. It also involves a government decree gone awry. Guests Peter Coles Author, Mulberry Morus Londinium Dr. Stella Butler Trustee, Royal Greenwich Heritage Trust Chair, Charlton & Blackheath Amateur Horticultural Society Jason Sylvan Head Gardener, Charlton House & Gardens Kathy Aitken Volunteer, Charlton & Blackheath Amateur Horticultural Society Music performed by the Renaissonics "Coockow As I Me Walked," John Baldwin "The Satyrs' Masque," Robert Johnson (from Oberon) "Full Fathom Five," Robert Johnson "Strike It Up Tabor," Thomas Weelkes Theme Music "This Old Tree," Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com Artwork Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home Website thisoldtree.show Transcripts available. Follow on Facebook or Instagram This Old Tree podcast is a sponsored project of the New England Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture . To support This Old Tree and New England ISA, click here . We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~4 or 5 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to: doug@thisoldtree.net This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators. litartsri.org

John Bartram was a Quaker farmer near Philadelphia in the mid 18th century. So how did he become North America's first great botanist? And how did he and his son William find themselves in the wilds of southeastern Georgia, fighting off rain, hunger and mosquitos, in order to find the rare and beautiful Franklin Tree ( Franklinia alatamaha )? Come hear the story about why this tree at Bartram's Garden symbolizes the spirit of science and discovery. Guest Tom Reber Director of Landscape and Facilities Bartram's Garden Philadelphia, PA Readers Nigel Holmes Mike Savard Mike Sweney Josh Abrams Harpsichord Music performed by Miyuke Tsurutani "The Saint Catherine," John Barrett "Saraband," John Barrett "Hornpipe," Henry Purcell "Ground," John Blow References "The Life and Travels of John Bartram: From Lake Ontario to the River St. John," by Edmund Berkeley and Dorothy Smith Berkeley. University Press of Florida, 1982. "The Correspondence of John Bartram, 1734 - 1777," edited by Edmund Berkeley and Dorothy Smith Berkeley. University Press of Florida, 1992. " Franklinia alatamaha , A History of That 'Very Curious' Shrub," by Joel Fry. Bartram's Broadside, Winter 2000. Theme Music "This Old Tree," Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com Artwork Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home Website thisoldtree.show Transcripts available. Follow on Facebook or Instagram This Old Tree podcast is a sponsored project of the New England Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture . To support This Old Tree and New England ISA, click here . We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~4 or 5 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to: doug@thisoldtree.net This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators. litartsri.org

Legend has it that Col. William H. Jackson of Athens, Georgia loved his old white oak tree very much. So much, that he created a deed for the tree and the land immediately surrounding it, giving ownership unto itself. Could it be possible? Who owns a tree? The answers aren't always as simple as they may appear. Guests Mateo Fennell Community Forestry Coordinator Athens-Clarke County Unified Government Athens, GA https://www.accgov.com/274/Community-Forestry James Komen Consulting Arborist and Attorney Los Angeles, CA https://www.jameskomen.com/ Pat McAlexander Author, Retired Professor, and Neighbor of The Tree That Owns Itself University of Georgia Athens, GA Music "It's Fun Being a Cat," Ziv Grinberg Theme Music "This Old Tree," Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com Artwork Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home Website thisoldtree.show Transcripts available. Follow on Facebook or Instagram This Old Tree podcast is a sponsored project of the New England Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture . To support This Old Tree and New England ISA, click here . We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~4 or 5 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to: doug@thisoldtree.net This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators. litartsri.org

A large old mulberry tree at Truro Vineyards on Cape Cod comes with a legend. A sea captain brought it back from the South Pacific and planted it for his young wife. Or his girlfriend. Or someone named Amelia. Is this story true? Who was the captain, and what became of him? Come along to open dusty books, unfurl old maps, and decide what you think. Guests Kristen Roberts Owner Truro Vineyards Truro, MA Ken MacPhee Arborist Representative Bartlett Tree Experts Orleans, MA Janice Pelosi Manager Truro Historical Society Truro, MA Norman Pope Volunteer Truro Historical Society Truro, MA Peter Coles Author of Mulberry Morus londinium London, UK Consulting Editor David Still II Recorder Music David Bor and Kimberly Wass "The Wellerman" "Sleep Soond I da Mornin'" "Leave Her Johnny" Other Music The Hill Top Trio "Spanish Ladies" Theme Music "This Old Tree," Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com Artwork Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home Website thisoldtree.show Transcripts available. Follow on Facebook or Instagram This Old Tree podcast is a sponsored project of the New England Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture . To support This Old Tree and New England ISA, click here . We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~4 or 5 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to: doug@thisoldtree.net This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators. litartsri.org

Here's the third edition of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, where guests get to tell their own tree stories! Charles Darwin, bride and groom trees, a massive American elm in Illinois, Al Capone, original tree-inspired music, a tree used for meetings at an army base, a moving story from war-torn Ukraine - this episode has it all. Listen to what people have to say about the trees that inspire them. Guests Rob McBride The Tree Hunter Ellesmere, Shropshire, U.K. Instagram Georgia Barnhill Amherst Historical Society Amherst, MA Joe Hansen The Municipal Arborist Podcast Instagram Grayson Bo Guthrie Baltimore Tree Keeper Baltimore, MD Instagram Kamala Sankaram Composer and Singer KamalaSankaram.com Lawarren Patterson Retired Army Major General San Antonio, TX Bio Olena Kozak Ukrainian Ecological Club - Green Wave Kyiv, Ukraine Theme Music "This Old Tree," Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com Artwork Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home Website thisoldtree.show Transcripts available. Follow on Facebook or Instagram This Old Tree podcast is a sponsored project of the New England Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture . To support This Old Tree and New England ISA, click here . We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~4 or 5 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to: doug@thisoldtree.net This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators. litartsri.org

The Fabrykant Oak, translated as the "Factory Owner's Oak," received 45,000 votes to become Europe's Tree of the Year. Located in Łódź, it captures the hearts of people in its home country of Poland and around the world. Full of personality and stunningly beautiful, the story of this Quercus robur strikes deep into the city's culture and history. How does an old tree overcome the past to become a symbol of rebirth and a brighter future? Guests Adam Golub Project Manager and Brussels Representative European Tree of the Year Environmental Partnership Association treeoftheyear.org Brussels, Belgium Przemek Bartos Ecologist and Blogger Przyroda dla Sosnowca The Oak Fabrykant - Video Sosnowiec, Poland Jacek Boźek Director, Klub Gaja Ecological and Cultural Association klubgaja.pl Wilkowice, Poland Anna Wierzbicka Director of Environmental Management Division City of Łódź Poland Green Bond Framework Maria Duszynska McCauley Centerville, MA, USA Consulting Editor David Still II Music Frédéric Chopin - to be updated Photo Credit Jakub Kubka Theme Music "This Old Tree," Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com Artwork Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home Website thisoldtree.show Transcripts available. Follow on Facebook or Instagram This Old Tree podcast is a sponsored project of the New England Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture . To support This Old Tree and New England ISA, click here . We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~4 or 5 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to: doug@thisoldtree.net This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators. litartsri.org

A 300 yr-old Live Oak tree on the campus of Hampton University in Virginia stuns visitors with its strength and beauty. It’s also an enduring symbol of a watershed moment in American history - the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation during the Civil War, which freed enslaved people in the rebel states. How could a tree play a role in that momentous event, at least locally? What did emancipation truly mean to African-Americans in 1863? How does the tree still inspire the hearts and imagination of people today? Guests Abra Lee Garden Historian, Writer, Lecturer conquerthesoil.com Director of Horticulture, Oakland Cemetery Atlanta, GA Prof. Robert Watson Assistant Professor of History Hampton University Hampton, VA Tim Nuckols Owner, Nuckols Tree Care Virginia Beach, VA Consulting Editor Josh Abrams Music " Steal Away" - Wallace Willis Arranged by Roland Carter Sung by the Winston-Salem State University Choir Photo Credit Hampton University Theme Music "This Old Tree," Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com Artwork Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home Website thisoldtree.show Transcripts available. Follow on Facebook or Instagram This Old Tree podcast is a sponsored project of the New England Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture . To support This Old Tree and New England ISA, click here . We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~4 or 5 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to: doug@thisoldtree.net This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators. litartsri.org

A stunning copper beech tree in Ireland’s County Galway attracts tourists from around the world. Lady Gregory was its owner, and she drew legendary writers of her day to her house and garden at Coole Park - William Butler Yeats, George Bernard Shaw, and others. If they were lucky, they were allowed to etch their names into the bark of what’s now known as the Autograph Tree. Learn the full story steeped in Irish literary history. Guests Jenni McGuire Head Guide, Coole Park Nature Reserve Gort, County Galway, Ireland Margaux Pierrel Conservation Ranger, Coole Park Nature Reserve Gort, County Galway, Ireland Dr. James Pethica Senior Lecturer in English and Theatre, Williams College Williamstown, MA, USA Dr. Anna Pilz Independent Researcher Academic Developer & Trainer, University of Edinburgh Edinburgh, Scotland Consulting Editor David Still, II Music "Cailleach An Airgid" - traditional Arranged by Katharina Baker Performed by Sonic Strings from Coole Music & Arts in Gort, County Galway Soloist - Lilian Owens See Sonic Strings performing the piece on Inis Mór on YouTube here Theme Music "This Old Tree," Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com Artwork Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home Website thisoldtree.show Transcripts available. Follow on Facebook or Instagram This Old Tree podcast is a sponsored project of the New England Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture . To support This Old Tree and New England ISA, click here . We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~4 or 5 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to: doug@thisoldtree.net This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators. litartsri.org

This season 1 recap features thematic highlights from the first 18 episodes, Doug's favorite songs about trees, and an interview with Dee Lee, arborist and songwriter! Featured Songs and Artists Redwood Tree, Van Morrison Saint Dominick's Preview, 1972 Warner Bros, Inc. English Trees, Crowded House Time on Earth, 2007 Parlophone & ATO Records Trees , Louis Armstrong & George Jenkins and His Orchestra (Lyrics from Trees by Joyce Kilmer) 1954 Big Yellow Taxi , Joni Mitchell Ladies of the Canyon, 1970 Reprise Records, Crazy Crow Music King of Trees, Yusuf/Cat Stevens Buddha and the Chocolate Box, 1974 A&M Records, Firecat Music Ld. Boys in the Trees, Carly Simon Boys in the Trees, 1978 Elektra Records; C'est Music; Universal Music Corp. Mango Tree (Feat. Sara Bareilles), Zac Brown Band Jekyll + Hyde, 2015 Writers: Zac Brown, Anna Elizabeth Harwood, and Niko Moon Big Machine Records; Republic; Bettimusic It’s the Roots, Dee Lee This Old Tree, Dee Lee DeeLeeTree.com Consulting Editor David Still II Theme Music "This Old Tree," Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com Artwork Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home Website thisoldtree.show Transcripts available. Follow on Facebook or Instagram This Old Tree podcast is a sponsored project of the New England Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture . To support This Old Tree and New England ISA, click here . We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~4 or 5 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to: doug@thisoldtree.net This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators. litartsri.org

The Founders' Oak in New Braunfels is a "Famous Tree of Texas." The 300 yr-old live oak has given shelter to a Spanish Mission, a German Prince who brought thousands of settlers, old Texas families that date back to the Alamo, and the Comanche Nation. Its cultural history is rich, and includes a new designation as a "Comanche Marker Tree." What is it about this tree's history that mirrors the founding of Texas itself? Co-Host Emily King Urban Forester, Community Tree Preservation Division City of Austin, TX Austin's Community Tree Report Austin's Tree Canopy Guests Tim Barker President, Friends for the Preservation of Historic Landa Park New Braunfels, TX Kelly Eby Urban Forester, Community Forestry Program City of San Marcos, TX Steve Houser Owner and President, Arborilogical Services Chairperson, Indian Marker Tree Committee Texas Historic Tree Coalition Wylie, TX Jimmy Arterberry Cultural Resource/Environmental Consultant Former Tribal Administrator, Comanche Nation Medicine Park, OK Books New Braunfels Historic Landa Park: Its Springs and Its People Famous Trees of Texas Comanche Marker Trees of Texas Featured songs by Jimmy Irby (Published by ...And More Bears, Vollersode, Germany) One Cup of Coffee and a Cigarette Don't Count Your Chickens I'm So Disgusted I've Got the Blues for Texas Consulting Editor David Still II Cover Photo Steve Houser Theme Music "This Old Tree," Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com Artwork Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home Website thisoldtree.show Transcripts available. Follow on Facebook or Instagram This Old Tree podcast is a sponsored project of the New England Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture . To support This Old Tree and New England ISA, click here . We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~4 or 5 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to: doug@thisoldtree.net This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators. litartsri.org