Far from California, redwood tree makes Hawkinsville its home

<p>The tall tree in Bertie Mae and Eschol Wright's yard has generated lots of stares and much discussion.</p><p>The tree is a coast redwood tree, which typically is found far away in California. It's at least 100 years old.</p><p>"People driving by, mostly from out of town, would see it and stop and ask about it. They're the ones who told us redwoods normally are only found on the West Coast. We still have two or three people a year stop to ask about it," said Eschol Wright.</p><p>The tree has been given honors, first recognized as a Georgia champion by the Georgia Forestry Commission in 1973. That status was renewed in 1994 when it was measured again. It was 85 feet tall with a 131-inch circumfrence. The tree hasn't had an official measurement since.</p><p>"I think it would be a lot taller, but you can see where at some point part of the top was broken in a storm or something, and it's now forked," Eschol Wright said.</p><p>In 1998, another large redwood was documented in Culloden, Ga. It was shorter but wider; as a result the two trees are recognized by the forestry commission as co-champions for the species in Georgia.</p><p>The tree came to Hawkinsville through an enterprising predecessor. One of the town's earliest residents, Lea Watson Walker, whose family originally owned the property, was said to have written to all U.S. states and territories to have samples of their state trees sent to her. She planted the trees on her property.</p><p>The family worries what will happen to the tree in the future. If left undisturbed, it may live a long time _ the oldest verified redwood in California is 2,200 years old and timber company foresters have told the family that the Hawkinsville tree is disease-free and healthy.</p><p>"I'm afraid that after we're gone all this will become commercial. I hate to think of someone cutting down this tree to make a parking lot," he said.</p><p>___</p><p>HASH(0x1cda094)</p>

http://accesswdun.com/article/2006/11/112322