Palatka's Maltby Oak
A reprieve for a condemned historic tree
This is how the Maltby Oak looked in January, 2005. There were many dead branches in danger of falling and the foliage was sparse. Part of the cambium on the lower trunk was decayed caused by years of fill soil around the trunk.
Project: Rejuvenate the Maltby Oak and remove dead branches to make it safer
Location: Courthouse grounds in Palatka, FL
Significance: The Maltby Oak has been a centerpiece for the community for years. Many wedding vows have been exchanged beneath its spreading canopy.
When: starting in January, 2005 and on-going
Owner: Putnam County and Putnam County Commission
(Article written for the Putnam County Environmental Council newsletter, Green Gazette, June-July, 2007)
When the Putnam County Board of County Commissioners voted to have the historic Maltby Oak taken down in January 2005, the tree was in poor condition following years of apparently little maintenance. And to make matters worse, the 2004 hurricane season winds had stripped off most of the foliage giving the Maltby Oak and even more stark appearance. Closer examination showed that about 12 inches of fill soil had been brought in about 20 years earlier causing decay on about 33% of the base of the trunk where the fill soil had been piled against the trunk. Root suffocation caused by the fill soil and decay in the vascular plumbing at the base of the trunk had caused some of the branches to die. And lack of a regular pruning program to remove dead branches had caused a dangerous condition for pedestrians walking under the tree near the courthouse. Dead branches will eventually fall. And there was a strong likelihood that a falling branch could injure a pedestrian. If that happened, I knew the tree would have to be taken down. In February 2005 the County Commission agreed to give the Maltby Oak a reprieve and allow additional work on the tree to try to save it. Safety was my primary concern before doing anything else. The dead branches were removed in February 2005 with the help of Sammy Morgan, who operates a Palatka area tree service. Next I used an Air Spade, an excavation device that uses high velocity air to move soil away from roots. I cleared the fill soil away from the base of the trunk. Research has demonstrated that removing fill soil away from the base of the trunk can slow down or even stop decay caused by wet soil against the trunk. I used the Air Spade three different times in the following 15 months to slowly and carefully clear the soil away from the root flare at the base of the trunk. Nations Rent provided the air compressor at no charge. Bushor Tree Service of Jacksonville helped with more dead branch removal in the winter of 2006.
.JPG)
Dan LeBlanc of Taylor Tree Services operates the trencher to rejuvenate the Maltby Oak root system. The technique is called radial trenching.
In July 2006 Taylor Tree Services of St. Augustine assisted me in doing radial trenching under the tree canopy to stimulate root growth. Radial trenching is a relatively new technique where six 4-inch wide 18-inch deep trenches are cut in the soil beneath the canopy radiating out from the trunk like spokes on a wheel. The trenching cuts some of the smaller roots which helps stimulate new root growth in the trench, which is filled with a soil-compost mixture. Morgan, Bushor and Taylor all donated their services. Finally, in mid-summer 2006 the entire area under the canopy was mulched. The Putnam County Environmental Council, Inc. paid for the mulch and county workers along with a prison crew helped spread the mulch. The mulch application eliminated competition from the turf. The mulch will also break down slowly and enrich the soil with nutrients and organic matter making the soil beneath the Maltby Oak much like the soil in a forest environment. Today over two years later (June, 2007 when this article was written), the Maltby Oak appears to be gradually improving.
.JPG)
The turf beneath the Maltby Oak canopy was smothered (killed) by covering it with a 3-inch layer of organic mulch that will improve soil conditions and nutrients for the Maltby as it slowly decomposes
It is a slow process. Because most of the trunk decay affects the vascular system on the southwest and west side of the trunk, that is the side of the canopy that is showing the most stress. It is possible that we will have to remove a couple more branches soon. The decay in the lower trunk appears from tests to be superficial affecting the vascular system and sap wood near the surface but not affecting the structural strength of the trunk. In the worst case, we may have to one day fence off the grounds under the tree for the safety of pedestrians. I hope not but we will have to see how much more dieback occurs on the southwest and west side of the canopy. But even if the worst case occurs and we have to fence off the grounds under the tree, the Maltby Oak, in my opinion, should be around for many more years to come. The sheer size of the Maltby Oak and its ability to survive is awe-inspiring. But the process of aging --reduced photosynthesis, competition for resources, vascular plumbing damage and decay -- all conspire to shorten the life of the Maltby Oak. We need to understand the needs of our ancient giant trees, and we have to be tolerant of their inevitable defects. Every old tree links us with our past and with future generations.
Written for the Putnam County Environmental Council newsletter, Green Gazette, June-July, 2007. The Maltby Oak continues to slowly improve. See the more recent photo below.
This is the Maltby Oak viewed from the east side. Photo taken in July, 2009.
Contributors to the preservation of the Maltby Oak
Pruning: Sammy Morgan of Palatka (2005)
Buschor Tree Service, Jacksonville (2006)
Jeb Teuton of Above & Beyond Tree Service Palatka (2009)
Guy Meilleur of Better Tree Care Associates Apex, NC (2009)
Root Rejuvenation - radial trenching Dan LeBlanc of Taylor Tree Services, St. Augustine (2006)
Equipment: compressor for Air Spade work and trencher donated by Sun Power (formerly Nations Rent), Palatka (2006)
Mulch and compost: Timothy Keyser of Interlachen and Karen Ahlers
The Putnam County Environmental Council (August, 2006)
Grounds maintenace and weed control: Bill Futch, Putnam County grounds supervisor.
