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Cross-sections of Maine giant elm to be displayed

Mon Feb 8, 2010 11:37 PM EST
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Associated Press

FILE - In this Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010, file photo, a worker removes saw dust from Herbie, the tallest American elm in New England, after it was cut down in Yarmouth, Maine. On Thursday Jan.4, 2010 the Maine Forest Service says the giant tree was 217 years old when he was cut down last month in Yarmouth. (AP Photo/Pat Wellenbach, File)

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YARMOUTH — Maine officials say two cross-sections cut from a 217-year-old giant elm named Herbie will be displayed by the town of Yarmouth and the state Forest Service.

The 110-foot-tall tree was the biggest American elm in New England before it was cut down Jan. 19 after losing a battle with Dutch elm disease. Peter Lammert of the Maine Forest Service says each of the 4-inch cross-sections weighed 1,600 pounds.

Word of Herbie and his caretaker of five decades, 101-year-old Frank Knight, continues to generate interest around the region.

Lammert says a Rhode Island motorist stopped to collect sawdust while foresters were cutting on the stump Monday. Herbie also has several fan pages on Facebook.

© 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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{"commentId":12266070,"authorDomain":"gsf67"}
Satan from Hell

What!!! Cut it down? That thing was old growth. Out here in the Northwest the hippies band together and protest cutting down hazard trees. Does the NE not have tree huggin hippies? That tree was a perfectly good wildlife tree. Best left to the bugs and rot. Who cares if when it falls it might hurt someone or damage something.

{"commentId":12266070,"threadId":"786676","contentId":"3871504","authorDomain":"gsf67"}
  • 1 vote
Reply#1 - Tue Feb 9, 2010 12:18 AM EST
{"commentId":12266437,"authorDomain":"philc3"}
Hayduke1

Satan from Hell, I too live in the Pac NW. Pretty much all the remaining 5% or so of old growth out here remains on federally protected lands like national parks and forests. So if one of those trees decides to fall, rest assured the only thing it will hurt will be another tree.

But hey, you seem to be concerned that tree would go to waste. However, if you leave it on the ground, it will become a "nurse log" and grow a nice row of new trees right on it. Think of all the fun you could have chopping all those down for plywood and toilet paper.

{"commentId":12266437,"threadId":"786676","contentId":"3871504","authorDomain":"philc3"}
    #1.1 - Tue Feb 9, 2010 1:02 AM EST
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    {"commentId":12274175,"authorDomain":"trentroy-1"}
    rtg-

    All I can think of is what a gorgeous free form table a slab of that thing would make.

    {"commentId":12274175,"threadId":"786676","contentId":"3871504","authorDomain":"trentroy-1"}
      Reply#2 - Tue Feb 9, 2010 1:37 PM EST
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