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75 humans to celebrate bur oaks on National Tree Day
Updated: Apr 22, 2020
You are invited to help The Champlain Oaks celebrate bur oaks on National Tree Day.
This year’s event–to be held between 10 a.m. and noon on Weds. Sept. 26–will involve about 70 students from St. George’s Elementary School on Keyworth Ave. To join in, go first to the mid-point on Northwestern Avenue, between Clearview and Premier (any time between 10 and noon).
The Grade 1 and Grade 6 classes will have a chance to view giant, old and distinctive bur oaks at two locations on private property. Grade 6 students will help with the planting of two bur oak saplings on the boulevard along Northwestern Ave (south of Clearview Ave.). The City of Ottawa has given The Champlain Oaks permission to plant the baby bur oaks in this location to replace two trees (not bur oaks) that died this summer, probably due to drought.
Did you know that a unique feature of bur oaks is that they are drought resistant? Here’s another distinguishing feature of this hardy breed of oak [quercus macrocarpa]:
“Once a bur oak reaches the stage at which it can tolerate repeated fire (12 years or older), it persists indefinitely in savannas or open woodlands with frequent fire.“
The map on this website shows that we, and the bur oaks around us, live at the northern edge of the species range in North America. Bur oaks in the north can live 250 or 300 years.
Adults in the Champlain Park community (and nearby neighbourhoods) are welcome to attend the event. If you would like to help the organizers by providing soil, water, or shovels, please contact Daniel Buckles before Sept. 26 at 613-722-8048.