The Great Ash Tree

On March 31, 2020 an iconic 80-foot tall American White Ash Tree (Fraxinus americana) that had stood for an estimated 200-250 years at the Stevens-Coolidge Place in North Andover, MA had to be cut down out of safety concerns. The tree was a beloved fixture of The Stevens-Coolidge Place landscape and will be missed by countless generations of people who have spent time climbing its branches, relaxing under its massive canopy of shade, posing for holiday, engagement, and wedding photos. Forty years ago, in preparation for the eventual loss of the Ash, stewards of The Trustees of Reservations planted a European Beech to serve as a new fixture of the estate.

[@TheBeardedSandman]

When we moved into our house 5 years ago, there weren't any trees or grass on the property. We knew we had a lot of work to do, so we got to work flattening the land and planting grass. One day while I was weeding in the front yard, I saw a small little plant that didn't quite look like a weed, so instead of pulling it out, I let it grow. I translated it three times over the next few years, never really knowing what it was until the leaves were mature enough to tell that it was in fact a white ash tree. We've since planted many trees in our yard, but the fastest growing and seemingly most hardy tree is that ash. It's only been four winters, but that little tree is now taller than I am. I'm happy to have it in my yard, it was quite literally a gift from heaven.

[@jimdayton8837]

Awesome! I hope you're treating this tree against the Emerald ash borer however.

[@TheBeardedSandman]

@@jimdayton8837 No EAB in Utah.

[@jimdayton8837]

@@TheBeardedSandman Lucky. They'll probably arrive there someday though...

[@TheTrustees]

Thank you so much for creating such a beautiful expression of the way our community felt about this tree while she stood, and the heartbreak we all feel with her gone.

[@evashea3842]

A beautiful tribute to a beautiful tree!

[@maryannharney7258]

I’ll truly miss that tree, my friend and I called it our picnic tree.

[@MISAN-vc7pc]

Yes this tree are amazing. But in my case they give my worst memories. When i was kid my vilage Miljkovac in south Serbia was hitten by huge summer storm with lightning and brutal wind speed where power of wind crushed ash on our house because we have many ashes in our backyard. There was so traumatic expirience for me. Now i live in place without trees around me but always when storms beggin they give my flasbacks.

[@rosselliott3630]

I have owned a tree service since 1976, and every time I take a tree down I say to myself a few words to honor that tree. Trees, like people, have a beginning and an end. Their memory lives on after the end.

[@thechannelisunderconstruct9921]

Question what's the biggest tree you ever cut down

[@EarthKeeperSelinaMu]

And most trees are taken down for no good reason. Men need to learn more respect.

[@evashea3842]

Congrats on winning a New England Emmy for this beautiful video essay!

[@90skid97]

I love ash trees. Please anyone reading this, plant a native ash tree for the joy of you, others and nature. They're having a hard time with all the diseace/virus going around.

[@Landon_2006]

Those damn Emerald Ash Borers is what got it

[@roblena7977]

Thankyou very much for that excellent quote. My girlfriend and i often feel bad that the final form of our garden is out our time frame. God damnit these kids better love us when were gone.

[@gonzo187th]

Thank you for the video of the beautiful tree. A very nice tribute.

[@bentline]

Plant more Ash trees...non-grafted and from seed Eventually we will find a tree that withstands this blight.

[@90skid97]

I have planted some cuttings from a branch. Is it better to find juvenile or seed grown trees? I don't know much about the longevity of branch cuttings

[@saksija1987]

Very nice tribute to this tree.

[@jenniferporcaro7475]

Great job Greg, Ashley! Loved it

[@vusgamer]

so sad to see these century old trees coming to their end. they look so magical

[@loganh3529]

Long live the ash tree. It's a a shame it couldn't live its life out.

[@EllisDesignandTradeCo]

Great video. I was just learning of Fraxinus Americana while working on one for a Coffee table project. Amazing wood, Strong and shock resistant. Probably one of my favs compared to Walnut.

[@arcanondrum6543]

I planted an Ash and an Oak. I hope that both outlast us all.

[@jamesmorris1657]

My great ash fell during a straight wind tornado. Heartbreaking 😪

[@The1Green4Man]

1774-health & safety. Rest in peace ancient soul.

[@dps6198]

If the tree had been properly pruned and cared for throughout its life time it likely would have been saved.

[@scottconcertman3423]

Life of poor pruning maintenance and lack of any structural pruning required several times before reaching age 20 inevitably shorten's any Urban trees potential service life.

[@sharonscherzer5590]

I agree, so easy t o cut, much harder to plant and care for......everywhere there are people only to happy to cut down a tree, perhaps a reflection of our times, an ash was just butchered uup the hill from me, I can see where it once stood, and why for a cement wall around a cement house, no trees, no garden, great view.......these people should stay in the city and stop bringing their cultural and ideas of beauty into the country. The house resembles a park garage, ......I seem to be the only one that even notices or is upset. This is taking place in Austria, near Vienna, on what was a historic battle field when in 1683 the Ottoman Empire made it that far west, never again, lots of underground water that flows to the Danube which is now partially blocked by the massive and deep doses of cement that went into the foundation of this monstrosity ....corruption in the local government allows someone to build too high, with no attempt to fit into the landscape but that is, sadly, very common in this part of Austria where you either lived in a castle, a fortress, a farmhouse or a convent or monastery, no history of private homes, no middle class so what they build now reminds you of the kinds of housing I just listed. Wait when th e blocked ;underground springs and streams either break through the walls, which have no weep holes for drainage, flood neighboring land looking for a new route to the Danube, and meanwhile the remaining trees further down hill will miss the underground moisture they depend on. As of 1 Jan of this year this house could not have been legally built so the owner and architect got permission , brought permission before the end of the year. The human species has proven itself unworthy of the planet it lives on and has continually exploited justifying their place and privileges as given to t hem by some god.......the future will tell how well tell how these self made custodians did their job......

[@swere1240]

sadly the emerald ash borer is going through and wiping out basically all the ash trees in north america. i work for a tree service that has are local city contract and we have been taking out ash trees for the past 2 years. it is sad that the invasive species is killing them and they have to be taken down but what the city guy says is the potential hazard of it falling on someone or someones house isnt worth the risk.

[@divine9520]

Wow I have this exact tree in my backyard and its huge just like this I been searching trying to find out out what type of tree it was and here I am 🤔😀 it does shade very well and is one of my favorites in the yard

[@staceylam762]

Is there emerald ash borers in Los Angeles? A arborist advised I take down my 80ft ash cause it was 6ft from the house and a deck was built around it. And that it has a lean so his advice was to take it down:( I am still in pain and miss Ashy ! I don’t understand why he advise when the tree was healthy and only had a few large limbs that was dead . It had frass on dead branches. So I have seedlings from my ash tree and thinking of letting it grow so I can get my ash tree back.

[@JSam1]

Why cut it?

[@incorectulpolitic]

Hi, Do you sell, or do you know where I could find/buy Manna? Manna -- this is a gummy product from the European flowering ash tree, Fraxinus ornus. I was able to find the dried leaf of the tree but not the 'gummy product'. Thank you

[@Gloomsong]

did you at least take seeds or cuttings from it?

[@arcanondrum6543]

That would have been Wise -> 6:40

[@legendsforeverr_imakid-2138]

Why did you let them do it

[@myswedishcottagegarden]

What a fantastic tree! I have a giant ash tree in my new garden and I´m doing all I can to make it thrive. I just made a video about the process.

[@erikakabloodybrains83_8]

I'm opinion all trees should be illegal to chop down there needs to be mores than humans period build homes without chopping down trees it's 2022 use your mind think of other ways.

[@arcanondrum6543]

Indeed. Insulation never stops paying for itself and yes; there ARE alternatives to stick frame homes; Hempcrete, dynaform and others. Ugly Troll Allan Greenspan suggested "tearing down houses and rebuilding them" to "stimulate the economy" on a down cycle caused by Greenspan's career of mismanagement. More trees, less Allan Greenspans.

[@legendsforeverr_imakid-2138]

Dont you dare let them cut a tree😤🤬

[@adrianapollyon5087]

Blame your governments of the world. Stop letting them control every aspect of your life or nature

[@Landon_2006]

@@adrianapollyon5087 blame the Emerald Ash Borer for killing all of the ash trees

[@adrianapollyon5087]

@@Landon_2006 blame your government for that as well. As how they killed all the buffalo. As they chopped down all the fruit trees in nature. Etc.

[@fruitfulorchardcic]

Bull crap there was no need to take it down

[@apersonontheinternet8006]

Yes they did.

[@blackdeathgaming1351]

Ash borers would’ve gotten to it sooner or later. There was a 150 year old Ash tree near my house, it was a huge mighty tree, but it only took 3 years with the borer to kill it. It still stands, but looks like a ghost of its former self