NOVEMBER 2017 • NEBRASKAland 41
the more drought- and fire-tolerant
bur oak. And in southeastern Nebraska
chinkapin oak (Quercus muehlenbergii)
also grow on these drier sites. These
dry west- and south-facing slopes
and ridge tops supported tallgrass
prairie and an oak savannah (prairie
with scattered oaks); fire discouraged
the encroachment of trees in prairie
sites and limited the densities of
woodlands in savannah environments.
Consequently, the Ponca Wolf Oak
probably originally sprouted and
developed with only a few other trees
on its home acre.
Settlement gradually developed
following the Lewis and Clark
Expedition in 1804; and, fearful of fire,
settlers began extinguishing any fires
started by lightning or other sources
of ignition. The gradual absence of
fire has allowed the establishment of
many other mid-canopy and understory
species, creating a dense forest canopy
often limiting the development of oak
regeneration.
O
Despite increased competition over
three centuries, the Ponca Wolf Oak
has prevailed and appears healthy.
During a recent visit the foliage looked
normal, with little apparent damage of
fungal blight and insect damage, and
only a small percentage of the crown
exhibits dieback of branches. I also
noticed bulbous callus growth covering
most of the limbs that had been
removed or died and fallen from the
crown; a good sign of tree vigor. It's
anyone's guess how long the tree will
survive, but for the short term its future
looks promising.
Tree huggers like me can be odd
nuts, and we often become emotionally
attached to special trees, sometimes
assigning a living soul to ancient
woodland specimens; and as far out as
it seems, we just can't help but wonder
what they have witnessed during their
lifetime. How cool it would be if they
could share a video story of the change
in their landscape, a witness of people
and creatures who passed by. ■
Mike Groenewold has been a park
horticulturist at the Nebraska Game
and Parks Commission since 1977.
Sign reads: This oak tree began its life in 1644 and was 143 years old when the U.S.
Constitution was signed on Sept. 17, 1787. The tree was 223 years old when Nebraska
became a state in 1867.
Ponca State Park sits on the wooded
bluffs of the picturesque, unchannelized
Missouri River about 4 miles from the
town of Ponca. If you haven't visited
Ponca, fall is the perfect time. Go to
OutdoorNebraska.org/parks for more info
about this unique park.
A section of the core extracted in 1964 (enlarged approximately 300 percent) shows faint growth rings and fire scars.
Ponca State Park
Fire scar
PHOTO
BY
JENNY
NGUYEN
PHOTO
BY
JEFF
KURRUS
