http://www.cityofvancouver.us/urbanforestry
As it recovers from recent damage, the Northwest’s oldest apple tree will share some of its future growth Saturday during the Old Apple Tree Festival.
The annual event will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Old Apple Tree Park, 112 Columbia Way, at the south end of the Vancouver Land Bridge. There will be a limited quantity of cuttings from the 184-year-old tree, one per household while the supply lasts.
The tree is still recovering from the damage it suffered in June 2009, when two of its three main branches snapped. The Old Apple Tree Research Team has been organized to help bring the tree back to full health.
Reinforcing material harvested from healthy limbs was grafted onto weakened spots, and pruning has helped control disease. In February, a crew excavated some old soil from around the tree and replaced it with fertilized soil.
However, more damage was done recently, which forced officials to put a fence around the tree.
“We had some vandalism,” said Charles Ray, the city of Vancouver’s urban forester. “People damaged the grafts, which was a big setback. We lost two of the grafts. We’re going to repeat the grafting next year.
“To protect the tree from further damage, the National Park Service agreed to install fencing around the tree. The fence will come down for the festival, but then it will go back up.”
Despite the damage, the tree is pretty resilient, Ray said.
“It’s a remarkable tree that has a very vigorous root system and pushes out new growth,” Ray said. “For what it’s been through, it’s doing very well.”
The Old Apple Tree Festival will offer an opportunity to learn more about this living landmark and trees in general.
Planted in 1826, when Fort Vancouver was the Hudson’s Bay Company’s Northwest headquarters, the tree is considered the matriarch of Washington apple industry. It has withstood flood, wind, ice, snow and steady human encroachment.
Bob Cromwell, archaeologist at the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, will present a brief history of the Old Apple Tree. At 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., people can stop by the Southwest Washington Arborist Association’s booth for a fruit tree pruning discussion and demonstration.
Throughout the festival, the Kunze Farm booth will offer free apple samples and sell varieties of locally grown apples. There will be live music, free samples of locally grown apples and activities for children.
There also will be walking tours to the workers’ village, on the north side of the Vancouver Land Bridge, where costumed re-enactors will portray early residents of Fort Vancouver.
