Decayed main stem (right) of a Tollgate Maple threatening Highway 26. Zigzag Ranger District, Mt. Hood National Forest, Oregon.
This decayed main stem was removed in 2011. See the Forest Service press release here:
www.mounthoodnationalpark.org/MHNPArticles/110717Tollgate... "July 14, 2011
Barlow Road Tollgate Heritage Maple Tree Succumbs to Old Age
Sandy, OR- A 130-year-old bigleaf maple, which marks the spot of the western-most tollgate of the historic Barlow Road, has substantial decay and poses a hazard to travelers on U.S. Highway 26 (Mt. Hood Highway). The tree is planned to be felled within the next three weeks. The decision to fall the tree is the result of close coordination between Mt. Hood National Forest, the Oregon Heritage Tree Program, and the Oregon Department of Transportation. ...
The old bigleaf maple to be felled has several stems: a main stem, with a diameter of 25 inches, and three smaller 4- to 6-inch diameter stems growing from the base of the trunk. These three smaller stems, each about 25 feet tall, will be untouched by the project, while the decaying main stem will be reduced to a height of two to three feet."
For more about the Tollgate Maple Heritage Trees see:
thecentralcascades.com/barlow-road-tollgate-maples-herita... Photo by: Kristen Chadwick
Date: July 13, 2010
Photo credit: USDA Forest Service, Region 6, State and Private Forestry, Forest Health Protection, Westside Forest Insect and Disease Service Center.
Source: Kristen Chadwick collection; Sandy, Oregon.
Image provided by USDA Forest Service, Region 6, State and Private Forestry, Forest Health Protection:
www.fs.usda.gov/main/r6/forest-grasslandhealth
