Land of the Giant Oaks

[Pete Collin]

One thing that I didn't quite get across in my video is that there is a difference between finding one big tree and being in a forest of them.  You can look for girthy trees in yards, parks and cemeteries because they won't get harvested for sawlogs, and being in the wide open allows them to put on a wide, spreading crown and grow fast.  It is far more unusual to be surrounded by acres of trees that are thick-trunked, tall, straight (thus making for good sawlogs), and available to harvest.  I live right next door to Letchworth State Park.  There are sections that have drop-dead wonderful sawtimber that will never get cut.  I love hiking through them and gawking at the sheer board footage.  People sometimes say, "Don't you wish you could log the park?"  But I don't really.  There's nothing wrong with setting aside a few places where we can display what a forest is capable of becoming.  And anybody who owns some land and a vision for the future can work on their little corner of paradise.

[G-Man]

There is a white pine stand in western mills on the allegany River in a campground that is impressive  4ft plus diameter pine forest.