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History Lesson: Battle of Nashville Basket Oak Tree

March 7, 2024May 15, 2013 by The Parke Company

Every tree has a story. From a tree’s young beginnings to its majestic maturity, the tree has seen everything from wars to celebrations. Take the Battle of Nashville basket oak for example. For over 150 years, this beautiful tree stood right in the heart of Tennessee and witnessed some of America’s most crucial moments spanning all the way back to the Civil War, to the Civil Rights Movement and finally into today.

The basket oak witnessed a violent fight between the union and the confederates standing on 1,500 acres of farmland owned by Mr. Oscar Fitzallen Noel (which, by the way, is the great great grandfather of the Parke Company’s owner). The battle, which took place on November 1864, cost over 6,600 causalities from both parties.

Since the battle, the Tennessee Landmark and Historic Tree Registry has recognized the tree as a historic tree. According to their website, a historic tree “must have been a direct witness to a historic event or cultural movement that was significant nationally, regionally, or within the state and confirmed to date to that time.”

Other historic trees in Tennessee:

Alvin C. York Wedding Beech Grove in Pall Mall
Andrew Lytle Dawn Redwoods in Monteagle
Bonnie Oaks Willow Oak in Chattanooga
Daniel Boone Beech in Madison County
Four Seasons Gingkoes in Harrogate
Oaklands White Oak in Mufreesboro
Scopes Trial Grove in Dayton
Sycamore Valley Overlook Oak in Cheatham County
Wildwood Stables Sycamore in Fairfield Glade Resort

Today, you can visit the basket oak at the Battle of Nashville Monument Park off Granny White Pike on Battlefield Drive. The tree stands with a monument to commemorate the fight that took place almost 150 years ago.

This is not the only tree that holds both history for Nashville and memories for Oscar Fitzallen Noel’s family. If you or your family has a tree with significance, call the Parke Company today to help preserve that special tree in your life.

Importance and Causes of Fallen Trees

March 7, 2024May 11, 2013 by The Parke Company

Driving to and from work can be a pain. We’ve all been there. Traffic jams, running late and even the occasional fallen tree. Good thing the Parke Company is there. Though they can’t clear traffic or give you an extra 15 minutes in the morning, they can help clear road blocks caused by fallen trees.

For many reasons, trees can fall across major roadways causing road congestion, injuries and/or damage. Most recently in City of Belle Meade in Nashville, the Parke Company worked to remove a fallen sugar maple that not only hit the road, but also a car. Luckily, the driver was not hurt, but the Parke Company crew and the Belle Meade police department had to work quickly and efficiently (for almost 2 hours) remove the tree and clear the road.

The causes of the fallen tree are many. While root rot is very common, several factors are at play for such an incident:

Root rot, which is found in older trees, is a fungus that penetrates and kills the roots. Root rot manifests in bad soil conditions and, in result, can create unstable trees.
Wet soil can sometimes be a factor. Heavy rainfall, certain types of soil and poor drainage can all be an issue.
Previous leaning can be another cause. If the tree was leaning on a slope before, it’s possible that gravity took intuitive for the fall.
Common constructed features like fences and stonewalls can sometimes be problems for trees as they continue to grow. These man-made objects might block or damage the tree causing it to collapse.
Mechanical injuries are possible culprits as well. These are physical injuries to the tree, which can cause problems in the future. Though these physical injuries might take years to develop into something fatal, something so small as the cord of a weed eater can cause eventual, lifelong damage.

With the help of City of Belle Meade Public Works, Belle Meade City Manager office and their police department, the Parke Company was able to remove the tree safely without any harm to the public or surrounding area. Though there is no specific cause to point blame, there are many factors that can contribute to a beautiful sugar maple’s demise. The importance of taking care Nashville’s trees is obvious. With proper care, the likelihood of disaster is less likely. For more information about the Parke Company and their removal services, please call 615-405-6548.

Fun Facts About the Tennessee State Tree: The Tulip Poplar

March 7, 2024May 5, 2013 by The Parke Company

What comes to mind when you think about Nashville and your state home of Tennessee? The Grand Ole Opry? Tennessee whiskey? The Smokey Mountains? These are just a few of the symbols that reflect the state of Tennessee. But one of the most intriguing and majestic symbols of Tennessee is the state tree — the Tulip Poplar. Since its adoption by state legislator in 1947, the tulip poplar has resided among the elite, such as other official state symbols like the mockingbird and raccoon.

Some fun facts about the Tulip Poplar

The tree was chosen because pioneers would use the tulip poplar to make houses, barns and canoes.
Today, the poplar is most commonly used for cabinetry.
In Tennessee, the tree sometimes called “canoe wood” because of its reference to the pioneers.
The tree can also be use for medicinal purposes, such as teas and ointments.
The tree is native to the Eastern U.S. region ranging from New England to Louisiana and Florida.
The tulip poplar is also Kentucky and Indiana’s state tree.
The scientific name is Liriodendron tulipifera and is also known as the tulip tree, American tulip tree, whitewood, fiddle-tree and yellow poplar.
The name “fiddle-tree” comes from the peculiar-shaped leaves that grow from their branches that resemble small violins.
The tree is actually a member of the magnolia family, not the poplar family.
The flowers are typically light green or yellow.
The tree typically doesn’t bloom tulips from their branches the first 15 years of its life.
Average lifespan of the tulip poplar is 200-250 years but some trees have been known to live much longer if conditions are right.
The tulip poplar is the tallest of North American hardwoods and can range from 100-150 feet high.
The trunk can grow at least 50 feet high without a single branch.

The Tennessee state tree is widely appreciates throughout the state, including Middle Tennessee. The tulip poplar is also a great tree to use for your residential or commercial landscaping needs. It is one of the fastest growing trees in the region. However, these trees and its branches require some specific growth requirements, so it’s always best to consult with a professional. For questions on planting the state tree in your yard, feel free to contact the Parke Company at (615) 405-6548.

Arbor Day in Nashville — How Will You Celebrate?

March 7, 2024April 24, 2013 by The Parke Company

Earth Day has gone down in the books as another successful recognition of our beautiful planet. So what’s next? Good thing Arbor Day is just around the corner. A day to recognize and plant beloved trees is not only great, but also important. Founded in 1872, more than 1 million trees were planted in Nebraska where the holiday originated. Today, people around the country celebrate Arbor Day (most commonly celebrated on the last Friday of April) to promote treecare and tree awareness.

Here are some activities any aspiring arborist can do to celebrate Arbor Day.

Plant a tree — this is the most simple and logical way to celebrate. If you want to plant a tree but don’t know how, The Parke Company can assist you in planting trees on your property and teach your appropriate treecare for the future.

Spend some time outside — Visit Centennial Park or take a hike in Edwin Warner. Take an arborist as your guide to enlighten your outing. Gather your friends and plan a landscape makeover for a public area in Nashville or in Middle Tennessee. Or you can visit a local arboretums, such as The Hermitage, Cheekwood or Vanderbilt.

Learn something new — Read a book on treecare or attend a class about gardening or planting trees. If you are the head of an organization or a committee, plan a tree trivia contest to test everyone’s knowledge of Arbor Day.

You don’t have to be an arborist to enjoy the holiday. Arbor Day can be a fun way to acknowledge the trees we sometimes take for granted. Dedicating a day once a year to plant and appreciate trees is an important measure to maintaining Nashville’s natural beauty. No matter how you choose to celebrate it, be sure to take some time and admire the trees around you. For questions about your trees or treecare, the Parke Company is readily available to answer any questions. For more information, call 615-405-6548. Happy Arbor Day!

Safely Relocating Nashville Animals When Trees Need to be Removed

March 7, 2024April 15, 2013 by The Parke Company

Sometimes when you, the customer and the Parke Company embarks on a tree job, the tree must come down. And sometimes, little critters have built homes for themselves and their young in those trees. So what are you to do? Thankfully, there are organizations and specialists that assist you and the Parke Company when having to deal with the tree inhabitants. From snakes to owls, the Parke Company does their best to ensure safety and shelter for all of Nashville’s animals.

If the tree must come down, the Parke Company relocates the animal to a safe location or a rehabilitation center if necessary. Many times, if the animals are young without a mother, this is a good option. If the tree does not have to come down, the Parke Company does their best to work around the nest or inhabitant, leaving the animals happy and undisturbed.

Popular critters living in trees in Nashville and Middle Tennessee are birds, snakes, raccoons, opossums, squirrels and bats. When an animal needs to be relocated or rehabilitated, the Parke Company calls Walden’s Puddle or Nashville Critter Ridder for assistance. Walden’s Puddle is a non-profit facility that provides treatment and care to sick, orphaned or injured wildlife in Middle Tennessee. Nashville Critter Ridder specializes in safe removal and/or extermination of wildlife as well as prevention and repair services.

It’s not uncommon to get up close and personal with some of Tennessee’s wildlife while repairing or removing trees.

“In the four hundred year-old Bur Oak at Bell Meade Country Club, I got to climb past a mother owl and three snow, white babies,” Parke Company’s Rich Krivack said. “It was awesome!”

In the event the Parke Company comes across a bird of prey that must be safely relocated, an aviary specialist is called in to assist the crew. The same is true for dangerous insects and their nests such as bees and wasps (hornets and yellow jackets). Once a nest is found, a specialist is called to help assist in the safe removal.

For more information on Parke Company’s protocol for safe wildlife removal, call them at 615-405-6548.