Miss Jane Pittman Oak gets stay from chopping block

“There’s an old oak tree in the Quarters… and I’m not ashamed to say I’ve talked to it. It’s not necessary craziness when you talk to trees or rivers. …When you talk to an oak tree that’s been here all those years and knows more than you’ll ever know, it’s not craziness — it’s just a nobility you respect.” — From The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman

An ancient live oak with a literary heritage was scheduled to be toppled, but has at least a temporary reprieve.

Normally, Pointe Coupee Parish Police Jury President Melanie Bueche opens jury meetings with a prayer, but on Tuesday, she talked about a special concern — the 400-year-old oak tree about 150 feet from her home.

On the morning of July 4, she said, a huge limb fell from the tree, called by some people, “The Miss Jane Pittman Oak.”

Bueche said the tree’s trunk is 27 feet in circumference, and the downed limb measures 12 feet around.

Since the tree is on the right of way of La. 416, the state Department of Transportation and Development was called. Bueche said DOTD personnel told her the tree had much decay, and needs to be cut down.

One of the first people Bueche said she called to tell about the endangered tree was Earnest Gaines, a former Pointe Coupee resident and renowned writer serving as author-in-residence at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

Gaines has often sat in the shade of the tree, and it was the inspiration for scenes in his novel and motion picture, “The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman.”

County Agent Miles Brashier, who attended the Police Jury meeting Tuesday, advised Bueche to keep the tree from being felled until he could get a professional to look into the matter.

“It took 400 years for that tree to get to this point,” Brashier said. “Who knows how many more years it could stand?”

Brashier, after examining the tree the next day, told Bueche he thinks it could live for another 100 years. He said he has arranged for an arborist from LSU to inspect the tree the week of July 21.

He also told Bueche to tell DOTD that the oak is a “significant tree,” and that it should not be chopped down until it can be examined by a professional.

Bueche relayed the message: Plans to fell the tree are on hold.

[Hmmmmmm]

I wish "Miss Mel" was as concerned about the horrible road condition where she lives as much as she's concerned about this tree that might just kill someone the next time a limb is shed.

[Candlelite Queen]

I for one hope that they can save the tree. I love anything that has to do with big, old oak trees. The odds of hitting a falling limb from an oak tree of all things (even a sick one) must be very, very small, since they are very strong trees. I would be much more worried about getting smashed by a falling pecan tree, which are much more plentiful than these oak trees. I have been seeing too many live oak trees being cut down lately. Does anyone know if there are any laws in place to protect some live oak trees? If not, does anyone else think that there should be?

[pragmatist]

Candlelite Queen wrote:

I for one hope that they can save the tree. I love anything that has to do with big, old oak trees. The odds of hitting a falling limb from an oak tree of all things (even a sick one) must be very, very small, since they are very strong trees. I would be much more worried about getting smashed by a falling pecan tree, which are much more plentiful than these oak trees. I have been seeing too many live oak trees being cut down lately. Does anyone know if there are any laws in place to protect some live oak trees? If not, does anyone else think that there should be?

I agree. I am still physically ill every time I go home to St. Francisville and see the utter annihilation of the ancient oaks along Highway 61. These trees did not have to be sacrificed for the bridge. The WF Police Jury should be lined up and slapped repeatedly for allowing this to happen without a fight.

We need to protect these old trees.

[Hmmmmmm]

You two must not know the condition of Hwy 416 that runs in front of Miss Mel's house. It is without a doubt one of the most deplorable if not the most deplorable highway in Louisiana.

Also, as Miss Mel even stated, the limb which fell into the roadway was 12 feet around. Initial inspection by the DOTD says the tree is in much decay and needs to come down. I'm all for saving oak trees too when they are cut needlessly, however, if this tree is proved to be dangerous to motorists (as is Hwy. 416), then I say to cut it down. I know too many individuals and many school buses who have to drive under that tree each day to take the risk of having another limb fall and kill any one.

Another thing to consider is that these massive oak trees have a shallow root system. If the decay is bad enough, perhaps the whole tree would blow down during one of the gusty wind storms.

But, we'll leave that up to the professionals. I, for one, will be backing up the arborist's opinion.....whatever the opinion is.

[pragmatist]

Hmmmmmm wrote:

You two must not know the condition of Hwy 416 that runs in front of Miss Mel's house. It is without a doubt one of the most deplorable if not the most deplorable highway in Louisiana.
Also, as Miss Mel even stated, the limb which fell into the roadway was 12 feet around. Initial inspection by the DOTD says the tree is in much decay and needs to come down. I'm all for saving oak trees too when they are cut needlessly, however, if this tree is proved to be dangerous to motorists (as is Hwy. 416), then I say to cut it down. I know too many individuals and many school buses who have to drive under that tree each day to take the risk of having another limb fall and kill any one.
Another thing to consider is that these massive oak trees have a shallow root system. If the decay is bad enough, perhaps the whole tree would blow down during one of the gusty wind storms.
But, we'll leave that up to the professionals. I, for one, will be backing up the arborist's opinion.....whatever the opinion is.

Agree. Would just like to know what the specialist thinks as opposed to the highway dept whose job it is just to keep 'em off the road.

[Candlelite Queen]

Hmmmmmm wrote:

You two must not know the condition of Hwy 416 that runs in front of Miss Mel's house. It is without a doubt one of the most deplorable if not the most deplorable highway in Louisiana.
Also, as Miss Mel even stated, the limb which fell into the roadway was 12 feet around. Initial inspection by the DOTD says the tree is in much decay and needs to come down. I'm all for saving oak trees too when they are cut needlessly, however, if this tree is proved to be dangerous to motorists (as is Hwy. 416), then I say to cut it down. I know too many individuals and many school buses who have to drive under that tree each day to take the risk of having another limb fall and kill any one.
Another thing to consider is that these massive oak trees have a shallow root system. If the decay is bad enough, perhaps the whole tree would blow down during one of the gusty wind storms.
But, we'll leave that up to the professionals. I, for one, will be backing up the arborist's opinion.....whatever the opinion is.

All I am saying is that I want EVERY single thing that can be considered to be considered before you and the rest of the lumberjacks go hacking the thing down. My grandmother had an oak tree in her back yard, whose lifespan they were able to increase by over 30 years by using chains and wood beams to secure and/or prop up weak branches.

[Hmmmmmm]

Candlelite Queen wrote:

<quoted text>
All I am saying is that I want EVERY single thing that can be considered to be considered before you and the rest of the lumberjacks go hacking the thing down. My grandmother had an oak tree in her back yard, whose lifespan they were able to increase by over 30 years by using chains and wood beams to secure and/or prop up weak branches.

I'm not hardly a lumberjack. IF the professional says the tree is healthy, then I say let it stand. However, if the tree isn't healthy, then it should be cut down rather than have another 12 foot branch fall on top of a school bus or any other vehicle. Your grandmother took the risk herself of her tree falling in her back yard.....hardly a true comparison of a tree that IF it is diseased like DOTD says it is, could cause great harm to the public. Maybe Miss Mel would let the highway department bypass the tree with a new road constructed through her front yard! That might be a good compromise. Miss Mel gets to keep her tree and it won't be able to fall on any vehicle!

[Candlelite Queen]

Hmmmmmm wrote:

<quoted text>
I'm not hardly a lumberjack. IF the professional says the tree is healthy, then I say let it stand. However, if the tree isn't healthy, then it should be cut down rather than have another 12 foot branch fall on top of a school bus or any other vehicle. Your grandmother took the risk herself of her tree falling in her back yard.....hardly a true comparison of a tree that IF it is diseased like DOTD says it is, could cause great harm to the public. Maybe Miss Mel would let the highway department bypass the tree with a new road constructed through her front yard! That might be a good compromise. Miss Mel gets to keep her tree and it won't be able to fall on any vehicle!

I believe I said you AND the lumberjacks, not you THE lumberjack. A sick oak tree is the least of my worries when I get into my car and drive down the road. Like I said earlier, the chances are slim to none, unless of course you park your car under the weakest looking branch during a hurricane or something like that. And as far as the old oak in my grandmothers yard, we chained a weak branch to a branch that was not in danger of falling, and that weak branch stayed snugly in place for thirty years until my aunt had the whole thing cut down to make way for the new house she was building.

[Candlelite Queen]

I see by reading farther up in the thread that I did put you in with the lumberjacks, my bad, but I meant you AND the lumberjacks.

[Hmmmmmm]

Candlelite Queen wrote:

I see by reading farther up in the thread that I did put you in with the lumberjacks, my bad, but I meant you AND the lumberjacks.

Somehow I don't think you are understanding what my feelings are in regard to this tree. I love trees, especially live oak trees, but I do not put my love of trees in higher regard than the lives of humans. I will fight for the right of any tree, especially a huge and beautiful live oak tree, but I will fight harder for the lives of children when they have to travel daily under a tree IF that tree is deemed to be dangerous. A diseased tree in the highway right of way is totally unacceptable when dealing with human lives. No one (adults or children) would stand a chance of surviving a 12 foot circumference limb falling on their vehicle.

As civic minded as Miss Mel is, I'm sure she would comtemplate my earlier suggestion of providing highway access around that tree in her front yard IF the tree was deemed too dangerous to have motor vehicles continue to take the chance of traveling under it. Afterall, she even skipped the opening prayer of the Police Jury meeting to discuss this tree so I'm sure it must have significant value to her and the re-routing of the State Highway would be justified to save a tree with such historial value.

[Candlelite Queen]

And I don't think you understand my point that ANY tree that overhangs a roadway can be considered a hazard to passing motorists. If this one is too dangerous, then what about all of the huge pecan trees overhanging roadways in our parish...you know, the ones that are always dropping huge branches when there is not even the slightest breeze. To cut this tree down and feel "safe" is nonsense. I would be much more concerned that the condition of the road would cause me to crash into said tree.

[Jarreau89]

Has anyone heard what the arborists from LSU said about the tree?

[just my thoughts]

Jarreau89 wrote:

Has anyone heard what the arborists from LSU said about the tree?

Not sure what they said Jarreau89 but it's staying. They are not cutting it down. Check out www.2theadvocate.com

[Candlelite Queen]

Glad to hear this.