WILLOW OAK continued from 52
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The author and first state forester, Charles C. Deam, recorded the willow oak close to the year1919:“ there have been six reports for this species from Indiana.”
When things become rare, identified as threatened or of special concern; when they pop up like birds blown off course, or trees out of range, they grab attention. For example, when a roseate spoonbill was sighted at nearby Monroe Reservoir, birders from many counties arrived for a glimpse at this unusual shorebird.
The willow oak was equally intriguing to me, and I was eager to learn more. How did it get here? Was it planted, or were its acorns distributed along nearby Salt Creek years ago? I assumed a willow oak could be found here, like on southern flood plains, but it would be a long shot. Was its rare but natural occurrence here due to a mature willow oak with a fall crop of acorns further upstream? Who might know more?
The search was on but with no help from my tree-loving friends, or DNR colleagues. I thought of local residents, our Brown County History Center and Brown County Inn managers. Early construction photos could help me learn more about the tree, which I estimated its age to be close to the century mark. Could IU’ s Lilly Library that houses early Brown County photographer Frank Hohenberger’ s negatives and photos possibly help?
I soon exhausted all my options, even talking with the city arborist in Bloomington. He knew of a few naturally occurring willow oaks in Monroe County, less than six he thought, most likely planted,“ probably a chance occurrence when trees are bundled together and sold as mixed deciduous trees for landscaping.” He estimated the Monroe County willow oaks to be far younger than our Brown County willow oak.
My curiosity continued when I visited the archives at the Brown County Historical Society. I scanned the files but with no luck. If I learn more, I will be sure to include it in upcoming publications. In the meantime, anyone with information on the willow oak at the entrance to Brown County Inn, be sure and contact me through Our Brown County.
You can be sure I’ ll be tracking down more unusual and uncommon nature items here in our
town and county. It’ s what makes this place unique.
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54 Our Brown County Nov./ Dec. 2022