When the retired ecologist Tom van Spanje saw on Saturday that a large tree had blown down at the Staten Bolwerk in Haarlem, he looked for it in the municipal database† Fagus sylvatica purpurea, (red beech), reported the one, 222 years old. “I bought sidewalk chalk at Hema and put the age on the trunk. Most people estimate the age of the tree much lower. Those are city people, aren’t they,” he says on the phone.
The beech, with its distinctive reddish-brown leaves, was part of a park with gentle slopes and large trees just north of the station. There are oaks, lindens and until recently at least three large red beech trees. One of them did not survive storm Eunice. In his fall, he took part of the trail with him, but no further damage was done.
The well-known landscape architect Jan David Zocher Jr. (1791-1870) designed this park in 1821 for the former city walls of Haarlem, with views to the north, where there were still meadows at the time. From a military object, the defenses became a walking area, Haarlem was the first city where they were redesigned in this way.
Also read: The old cypress did not withstand Eunice
The nearby station and railway are of later date. „The tree was 39 years old when the first train ran from Haarlem to Amsterdam [de eerste Nederlandse spoorlijn, red.]”, emails Harry Hobo, who is affiliated with the Haarlemse Bomenridders, a club that is committed to preserving trees. It is difficult to determine whether the tree was planted exactly in 1800. It is an indication, let the municipality know by e-mail. But the Zocher family did have their tree and flower nursery across the water.
Stand still for a while
The fallen beech still attracts quite a bit of attention on Monday. Cindy Rooseman arrives on his bike to reflect on it for a moment. “It’s beautiful and sad at the same time,” she says. “Spectacular, actually.”
Local resident Nanna Kivits also pays a special visit, with two grandchildren. “Our red beech. We would sometimes stand around it, but then you had to be together.”
Another local resident shrugs. “Was it an oak? Oh, I’m not going to miss him, there are still plenty of trees here,” he says and continues walking with his dog.
But the real old trees are becoming exceptions, Hobo says. Of the twelve trees in Haarlem that are more than two centuries old until recently, a large number can be found on these strongholds. The average age of the trees in Haarlem is 37 years, he has calculated. Some do not get a chance to grow old because of illness. And more attention is paid to whether trees become a risk. Then they are pruned heavily or even preventively cut down. That sometimes happens a bit too expeditiously, according to Hobo.
Suspicion of honey fungus
The red beech was also checked, the last time on January 26. It was suspected that the tree was affected by the honey fungus. Further investigation would be carried out, the municipality writes.
Neighbors also noticed that there was something wrong with the tree. Kivits already saw him “less in the magazine, in recent years.”
Also read: A year in the life of a pedunculate oak
There are various theories about the cause of the end. Kivits’ grandson Julius (8) inspects the roots. “There is mold,” he says, pointing to a white spot. That may have caused the beech to die, he thinks. “It doesn’t just happen.”
Tree knight Harry Hobo points to the heat of recent years. “Beech trees can’t handle that well. And after two hundred years, a tree does begin to deteriorate.”
According to retired ecologist Van Spanje, the hardening of the path and especially the driving of cars by manager Spaarnelanden has affected the tree. “That leads to soil compaction. Half of the roots are suffocated, there is less soil life, less fungi. Right on the side of the path the roots have broken off.” The municipality believes it is a combination of strong winds, heavy rainfall and fungus damage.
The wood will be reused, the municipality reports, although it is not yet clear how. And instead of the red beech, a new tree will be planted, but it has yet to be decided exactly what and where.
Van Spain has a different idea. He hopes that the dead red beech can remain, as a play object for children. “And as a tribute to the old tree.”
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