Cremation of the Big Oaks at White Rock

It is sad to report that another of the big old oaks at White Rock came down in a storm this past week.  This one was about 31-inches in circumference. There were three others that sustained severe damage to large limbs in the same area in an around Preservation Grove. Ironically, last fall, there had been a planting of many new trees by Friends of the Lake in the Grove area.

This past winter, I had started to photograph the old and mighty trees that have so much character and grow around the nine miles that circumnavigate White Rock's shores via  roads and accompanying trails. There are about thirty of particular interest that have received many lightening strikes over the years; lost limbs during storms or were felled by some type of disease or infestation. It has long been my opinion that the big old oaks that have so much character are part of the overall character of the lake itself.  Many lake-goers simply see them as trees and nothing more. I hear all the time," it is where I go to bike" or "I run there".  I'd like to say, "no you only pass through, you don't notice anything else about the jewel of the Dallas Park System" but I don't. I keep quiet. For me that's difficult!!

The past couple of years, there has been some new home construction at the lake. One modern with solar power, one classic revival , one country-style, one mixture of modern and old. There is one that jumped out at me on a rather steep hillside  blends into the trees so well that had not the glass picked up a reflection, I wound not have know it was there. On the east side of the lake last year, several homes were gutted and remodeled  in this type of architecture. I counted four new homes under construction that are at the completed foundation level of building.  So, while the planting of the new trees at Preservation Grove will grow and age with these new homes, it is difficult to see the mighty trees that grow at White Rock go away one-by-one; being cremated in someone's fire place.

Note the thickness of the bark covering.

Two more big oaks are seen in the background along with the new plantings from last fall.