April 2012
distance away. This growth habit may brace the tree against hurricanes—but not chain saws. Protection from destruction by humans will help the Ruskin and other old-growth trees in Mississippi continue to grow for generations to come. Such is the goal of the Société Des Arbres (Society of Trees), based in Ocean Springs. The nonprofit organization promotes the identification and preservation of an irreplaceable aspect of Mississippi’s natural heritage, and records the historic trees in a permanent registry. The distress of losing old-growth trees to bulldozers in her hometown motivated Ocean Springs Garden Club member Ethelyn Conner to form the Société Des Arbres in 1971. “Lo and behold, the developers started taking down all these trees. They moved everything out—every tree, every weed. And that just about killed me,” Conner said.
Old-growth trees support a wide range of plant, insect, bird and animal life, such as this resurrection fern sprouting from the Ruskin Oak’s limbs.
When she bemoaned the loss to Valney Cissna Jr., then director of the Gulf Coast Regional Planning Commission, he suggested she start a tree society. Conner found a local sponsor for the project in the Ocean Springs Garden Club. The first certificate of registration was granted to the City of Ocean Springs for all qualifying trees on municipal land. Certificate No. 2 went to the owner of the Ruskin Oak. The registry grew to become a statewide effort upon its affiliation with The Garden Clubs of Mississippi Inc., the current sponsoring organization. At age 96, Conner remains active in the Société Des Arbres, serving as co-chair with Beverly Watson, a member of the Gautier Garden Club. So far, the registry comprises 1,181 trees, all but 16 of them located in Mississippi. The organization relies on the public to identify and register trees, which must be at least 100 years old to qualify. Moss Point tops the list with 211 registered trees, due largely to a door-to-door tree-measuring campaign led by local Boy Scouts. Pass Christian is close behind with 198, and Biloxi has a respectable 138. Fourteen tree species are currently represented in the statewide registry: live oak (the most prominent, with 1,116 listed), water oak, white oak, red oak, willow
oak, pin oak, magnolia, pecan, cedar, American elm, red (or silver) maple, birch, red cedar and sugar maple. Donna Smith, director of the Natchez Trace District of The Garden Clubs of Mississippi, and her husband, Darrell, registered their 134-year-old water oak last year. They named it the Smith Solomon Oak, a nod to the past property owners who built the home they share in McComb. Their tree measures 12 feet 6 inches in circumference and has a limb spread of 97 feet. The Smiths enjoy a view of the old oak from their kitchen window. In 2010, they spied a pair of Mississippi kites nesting among its branches. “I’ve often wondered if, 134 years ago, someone actually took the time to plant the seedling. Or, if an acorn sprouted and the seedling was nurtured by someone who had the foresight to know that it would one day grow into the majestic oak it is today,” Donna Smith said. Anyone can register any species of tree at least 36 inches in diameter, an indication of 100 or more years of age. The registry’s noninvasive method used to estimate age follows a simple formula based on the circumference of the tree (see box on page 4), thus avoiding the need to bore into the tree to count rings. The tree owner or sponsor measures the tree, gives it a name and submits a tree registration form, along with a small fee to cover expenses. The Société Des Arbres issues an official certificate of registration to the owner and files information about the tree in its permanent registry. “People are thrilled when they get their trees registered, and they have little family ceremonies to dedicate their tree,” said Watson, a member of Singing River Electric Power Association. What motivates people to register a tree? “I think it’s a matter of pride,” Watson said. “You name the tree, you invest in the tree and you’re proud of it. And I believe it enhances the value of the property. Plus, if anything happens that threatens the tree, you have (the registry) as a leverage point, for the city or county not to cut down the tree.” The registry is archived at the Ocean Springs Municipal Library, but it is not accessible to the public. Watson, a retired nurse, is preparing
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the registry for posting on the Garden Clubs of Mississippi website for all to see. “I’m not a tree hugger,” Watson said, laughing. “But you have to have a respect for the trees and their environment. Otherwise, we won’t have anything to leave our generations to follow. And there’s so much history to these trees.” For more information or to register a tree, contact Beverly Watson, Société Des Arbres co-chair and registrar, at 228-497-5679 or bsmwatson@bellsouth.net. This centuries-old live oak is one of a group of three known as Faith, Hope and Charity, located on the grounds of Twelve Oaks in Ocean Springs. All three are registered with the Société Des Arbres. The Land Trust for the Mississippi Coastal Plain acquired the property in 2005 and is exploring ideas for public use. The 30-acre site includes native plants, walking trails, marshes, an observation deck and a historic home, part of which is believed to be an original 1800s African American church.