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iiVC UiUVS
As I walk the streets of Bay St. Louis, in addition to driving around the county. 1 am always amazed at the majesty of our native live oak trees.
Something else I think of is whether they are registered with the state through the Society Des Arbres.
Over the years, some of our local majestic live oaks have been registered, but records indicate there only a very few.
This is something that Shawn Prychitko of the Bav-Wawlanci Garden Club wants to 'ce recut ied.
As a member of the Bay-Waveland Garden Club. Shaun has taken the task of registering live oak trees that measure 9-1/2 feet in circumference (36 inchcs in diameter), 4-1/2 ft. above the ground, which is representative of one hundred years of age.
The Bav-Wavcland Garden Club docs not charge for their 'ground work’, for the issuance of a certificate by the Society Des Arbres. There is a $ 10 fee for one tree and a group of up to five trees is $12. This is only for live oak trees in the county. Of course, donations arc accepted.
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Shaun says the oldest registered tree in the area she. has been able to locate in the records thus far on is on Citizen Street in Bay St. Louis. It was registered in 1990, and it was estimated to be 540 years old at the time. That would age it 560 years old today.
While driving, I do not have the time for my mind to wander, as when I am walking around the city on my regular exercise route.
There arc times, since I have been in the news business for over two-thirds of my life, if these irecs could talk. I just wonder what great stories [hey could tell.
Shaun reports there arc trees registered in the 400. 300, 200 and 100-years-old groups.
Was it someone who planted, or was it a bird Dr an animal that buried the acorn for future food, or did some one dig one up and replant it in another area'?
Growing up in my Waveland neighborhood, I was always aware of the beauty ofthc canopy of the live oaks along Nicholson Avenue from the railroad tracks to the beach. From what I understand, those oaks from the railroad tracks to the beach were planted by the Nicholson family.
Of course, there are only a few left today due to utility progress, storms etc.
I still remember the older oaks at the corncr of Nicholson and Jeff Davis, where as a kid, my brothers and I would huddle behind one of them to get out of the winter winds.
1 think about the hundreds of marble names I
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was involved in with my brothers and school
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