This Old Tree
Doug Still
Old trees are awe inspiring links to the past that fire our imagination. What are their stories? Seasoned arborist and amateur historian Doug Still interviews local experts, historians, and regular folks to celebrate the myths and uncover the real tales. If you're a tree lover, join in to look "beyond the plaque" at heritage trees and the human stories behind them. Monthly.
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Top 10 This Old Tree Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best This Old Tree episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to This Old Tree for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite This Old Tree episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
The Mariner and the Mulberry
This Old Tree
02/28/24 • 55 min
A large old mulberry tree at Truro Vineyards on Cape Cod comes with a legend. A sea captain brought it back from the South Pacific and planted it for his young wife. Or his girlfriend. Or someone named Amelia. Is this story true? Who was the captain, and what became of him?
Come along to open dusty books, unfurl old maps, and decide what you think.
Guests
Kristen Roberts
Owner
Truro Vineyards
Truro, MA
Ken MacPhee
Arborist Representative
Bartlett Tree Experts
Orleans, MA
Janice Pelosi
Manager
Truro Historical Society
Truro, MA
Norman Pope
Volunteer
Truro Historical Society
Truro, MA
Peter Coles
Author of Mulberry
Morus londinium
London, UK
Consulting Editor
David Still II
Recorder Music
David Bor and Kimberly Wass
"The Wellerman"
"Sleep Soond I da Mornin'"
"Leave Her Johnny"
Other Music
The Hill Top Trio
"Spanish Ladies"
Theme Music
Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com
Artwork
Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home
Website
thisoldtree.show
Transcripts available.
Follow on
Facebook or Instagram
We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~3 or 4 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to:
[email protected]
This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators.
litartsri.org
The Charter Oak
This Old Tree
01/30/23 • 59 min
King James II of England threatened to revoke the precious Charter of Connecticut in 1687, and sent one of his men to retrieve it. That meant an end to the colony's limited democracy and independence. But before it was exchanged during a key meeting, a hero slipped out of the room with it under his arm and hid it within the cavity of an old oak tree. That tree - the Charter Oak - is now a state icon. Get the full story here!
Guest Co-Host and Researcher
Jean Zimmerman
Arborist and author
jeanzimmerman.com
"In the Hidden History of Connecticut's Charter Oak" (blog)
Guests
Robert Storm
Honorary Governor General of the Society of Colonial Wars, Connecticut
Society of Colonial Wars in Connecticut
Jack Hale
Chair, Hartford Tree Advisory Commission
Christopher Martin
Connecticut State Forester
CT State Forestry - Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection
Allan Fenner
Consulting Arborist
Robb Barnard (Voice of Mark Twain)
Head of Performing Arts
Lincoln School, Providence, RI
lincolnschool.org
Consulting Editor
David Still, II
Theme Music
Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com
Artwork
Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home
Website
thisoldtree.show
Transcripts available.
Follow on
Facebook or Instagram
We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~3 or 4 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to:
[email protected]
This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators.
litartsri.org
Tree Story Shorts III
This Old Tree
01/08/24 • 35 min
Here's the third edition of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, where guests get to tell their own tree stories! Charles Darwin, bride and groom trees, a massive American elm in Illinois, Al Capone, original tree-inspired music, a tree used for meetings at an army base, a moving story from war-torn Ukraine - this episode has it all. Listen to what people have to say about the trees that inspire them.
Guests
Rob McBride
The Tree Hunter
Ellesmere, Shropshire, U.K.
Instagram
Georgia Barnhill
Amherst Historical Society
Amherst, MA
Joe Hansen
The Municipal Arborist Podcast
Instagram
Grayson Bo Guthrie
Baltimore Tree Keeper
Baltimore, MD
Instagram
Kamala Sankaram
Composer and Singer
KamalaSankaram.com
Lawarren Patterson
Retired Army Major General
San Antonio, TX
Bio
Olena Kozak
Ukrainian Ecological Club - Green Wave
Kyiv, Ukraine
Theme Music
Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com
Artwork
Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home
Website
thisoldtree.show
Transcripts available.
Follow on
Facebook or Instagram
We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~3 or 4 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to:
[email protected]
This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators.
litartsri.org
Luna Endures: A Redwood's Survival Tale
This Old Tree
11/26/22 • 60 min
Luna is a 200 ft tall redwood tree that towers on a ridge deep within a privately owned forest in northern California. You may remember Julia Butterfly Hill's remarkable 2-year "tree sit" in the 1990's that helped save the tree and shed light on the indiscriminate clearcutting of redwood forests. But after an agreement was reached to save the redwood and the national news media left, another crisis arose that threatened Luna's existence, introduced new heroes, and ushered in a new era of collaboration.
Guests
Stuart Moskowitz
Board Member and lead "Luna Covenant" monitor, Sanctuary Forest
sanctuaryforest.org
Dennis Yniguez
Registered Consulting Arborist (ASCA), and a Board Certified Master Arborist (ISA). He received B.A. and M.A. degrees from the University of California, Berkeley, and his J.D. degree from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law.
treedecisions.com
Tree Story Short
Carol Kingsbury
Books About Luna and Redwood Trees
Cook, Diane, and Len Jenshel. Wise Trees. Abrams Books. New York. 2017.
Davis, Erik. The Visionary State: A Journey Through California’s Spiritual Landscape. Chronicle Books. San Francisco. 2007.
Harris, David. The Last Stand: The War Between Wall Street and Main Street Over California’s Ancient Redwoods. Sierra Club Books. San Francisco. 1996.
Hill, Julia Butterfly. One Makes The Difference. Harper Collins. San Francisco. 2002
Hill, Julia Butterfly. The Legacy of Luna. Harper Collins. San Francisco. 2000
Hill, Niklas. Julia räddar skogen. Trinambai. Stockholm. 2017.
Kostecki-Shaw, Jenny Sue. Luna and Me. Holt. New York. 2015.
Lyon, George Ella. Voices of Justice: Poems about People Working for a Better World. Holt. New York. 2020.
Podcast Consultant
Robb Barnard
Special thanks to
Scott Parsons, for suggesting this episode and introducing me to Stuart
Theme Music
Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com
Artwork
Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home
Website
thisoldtree.show
Transcripts available.
Follow on
Facebook or Instagram
We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~3 or 4 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to:
[email protected]
This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators.
litartsri.org
Europe's 2023 Tree of the Year: The Fabrykant Oak
This Old Tree
12/13/23 • 61 min
The Fabrykant Oak, translated as the "Factory Owner's Oak," received 45,000 votes to become Europe's Tree of the Year. Located in Łódź, it captures the hearts of people in its home country of Poland and around the world. Full of personality and stunningly beautiful, the story of this Quercus robur strikes deep into the city's culture and history. How does an old tree overcome the past to become a symbol of rebirth and a brighter future?
Guests
Adam Golub
Project Manager and Brussels Representative
European Tree of the Year
Environmental Partnership Association
treeoftheyear.org
Brussels, Belgium
Przemek Bartos
Ecologist and Blogger
Przyroda dla Sosnowca
The Oak Fabrykant - Video
Sosnowiec, Poland
Jacek Boźek
Director, Klub Gaja
Ecological and Cultural Association
klubgaja.pl
Wilkowice, Poland
Anna Wierzbicka
Director of Environmental Management Division
City of Łódź
Poland
Green Bond Framework
Maria Duszynska McCauley
Centerville, MA, USA
Consulting Editor
David Still II
Music
Frédéric Chopin - to be updated
Photo Credit
Jakub Kubka
Theme Music
Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com
Artwork
Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home
Website
thisoldtree.show
Transcripts available.
Follow on
Facebook or Instagram
We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~3 or 4 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to:
[email protected]
This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators.
litartsri.org
Preservation is Progress: The Brontë Oak
This Old Tree
07/05/23 • 55 min
The Brontë Oak is a massive white oak tree in Oakville, Ontario that has been threatened by every type of construction project imaginable. Logging, overhead power lines, a regional water conduit, highway expansion, you name it. But in the face of multi-billion dollar corporations, it still stands thanks to the collective efforts of a persuasive neighbor, two savvy arborists, an 87 yr-old schoolteacher, a tuned-in Town Councilor, and a favorite Canadian folk rock singer.
Guests
John McNeil
Consulting Urban Forester
McNeil Urban Forestry, Inc.
Burlington , Ontario
LinkedIn
Pete Williams
Consulting Forester
Williams & Associates Forestry Consulting
Rockwood, Ontario
http://forestar.ca/
Allan Elgar
Regional and Town Councilor
Oakville, Ontario
https://www.oakville.ca/town-hall/mayor-council-administration/mayor-council/councillor-allan-elgar/
Sarah Harmer
Singer/Songwriter
https://sarahharmer.com/
Featured songs by Sarah Harmer
Pendulums
Tether
Squeaking Voices
The Ring
Consulting Editor
David Still II
Audio Editor
Marta Abrams
Cover artwork
Betty Goodfellow, artist
Collection of Sarah Harmer
Theme Music
Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com
Artwork
Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home
Website
thisoldtree.show
Transcripts available.
Follow on
Facebook or Instagram
We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~3 or 4 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to:
[email protected]
This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators.
litartsri.org
02/13/23 • 56 min
Gilgamesh, the Sumerian king of Uruk, threatens to cut down the sacred Cedar Forest and claim its wood for his people. First, he must kill the terrifying guardian of the forest, Humbaba. Can he do it? What will the gods think, and what will it mean for humanity? The story's message is central to John Perlin's republished book, A Forest Journey: The Role of Trees in the Fate of Civilization. Forests, and the wood they provide, have been crucial to human society since the beginning of recorded time, and now the fight against climate change. But what does history tell us about how we treat them?
Guest
John Perlin
Historian, author of A Forest Journey: The Role of Trees in the Fate of Civilization
Patagonia Books
john-perlin.com
Voice Dramatization
Martha Douglas-Osmundson
LinkedIn
Consulting Editor
David Still, II
Special Thanks to:
My father, David Still, for his advice and interpretation of The Epic of Gilgamesh
All readings from the Epic of Gilgamesh translated by Andrew George.
Theme Music
Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com
Artwork
Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home
Website
thisoldtree.show
Transcripts available.
Follow on
Facebook or Instagram
We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~3 or 4 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to:
[email protected]
This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators.
litartsri.org
Trailer
This Old Tree
09/07/22 • 1 min
Join host Doug Still - each show features heritage trees and the human stories behind them.
Old trees are awe inspiring links to the past that fire our historical imagination. Each week, he’ll interview experts, historians, and regular folks to celebrate the myths and uncover the real tales. There’s also a segment called “Tree Story Shorts,” where listeners get a chance to submit and chat about the most meaningful tree in their lives.
Theme Music
Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com
Artwork
Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home
Website
thisoldtree.show
Transcripts available.
Follow on
Facebook or Instagram
We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~3 or 4 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to:
[email protected]
This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators.
litartsri.org
The First 9/11 Survivor Trees
This Old Tree
10/27/22 • 51 min
The Survivor Tree is a well known tree planted at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in New York City that was rescued from the rubble at the World Trade Center site after the terrorist attacks. It has become a stirring symbol of resilience and survival visited by millions of people.
But few people remember there were six other trees rescued from the site and transplanted in early October of 2001. Host Doug Still was part of the City Parks Department team that found them along with his former boss Bram Gunther. Doug and Bram recount the day they visited Ground Zero, describe how these remarkable trees were saved, and discover what's become of them.
Guest
Bram Gunther
Native New Yorker; former Chief of Forestry, Horticulture, and Natural Resources for New York City Parks; co-founding partner of Dirt Collective, a start-up focused on re-wilding.
linkedin.com/in/bram-gunther-b8346522b
Podcast Consultant
Martha Douglas-Osmundson
Music
"Running Circles (Instrumental)," Cody Francis
Theme Music
Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com
Artwork
Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home
Website
thisoldtree.show
Transcripts available.
Follow on
Facebook or Instagram
We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~3 or 4 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to:
[email protected]
This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators.
litartsri.org
The Emancipation Oak
This Old Tree
11/13/23 • 69 min
A 300 yr-old Live Oak tree on the campus of Hampton University in Virginia stuns visitors with its strength and beauty. It’s also an enduring symbol of a watershed moment in American history - the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation during the Civil War, which freed enslaved people in the rebel states.
How could a tree play a role in that momentous event, at least locally? What did emancipation truly mean to African-Americans in 1863? How does the tree still inspire the hearts and imagination of people today?
Guests
Abra Lee
Garden Historian, Writer, Lecturer
conquerthesoil.com
Director of Horticulture, Oakland Cemetery
Atlanta, GA
Prof. Robert Watson
Assistant Professor of History
Hampton University
Hampton, VA
Tim Nuckols
Owner, Nuckols Tree Care
Virginia Beach, VA
Consulting Editor
Josh Abrams
Music
"Steal Away" - Wallace Willis
Arranged by Roland Carter
Sung by the Winston-Salem State University Choir
Photo Credit
Hampton University
Theme Music
Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com
Artwork
Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home
Website
thisoldtree.show
Transcripts available.
Follow on
Facebook or Instagram
We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~3 or 4 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to:
[email protected]
This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators.
litartsri.org
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FAQ
How many episodes does This Old Tree have?
This Old Tree currently has 27 episodes available.
What topics does This Old Tree cover?
The podcast is about Nature, Podcasts and Science.
What is the most popular episode on This Old Tree?
The episode title 'The Betsey Williams Sycamore' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on This Old Tree?
The average episode length on This Old Tree is 52 minutes.
How often are episodes of This Old Tree released?
Episodes of This Old Tree are typically released every 16 days, 8 hours.
When was the first episode of This Old Tree?
The first episode of This Old Tree was released on Sep 7, 2022.
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