Black Cottonwood trees beside the Twin Barns
Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge
Thurston County, WA
I just got back from a virtual bike ride around the garage (hint: do the hilly part first and then you can just enjoy the rest of the ride). As I was pedaling and listening to NPR, my thoughts drifted to favorite landscapes and places. My thoughts quickly settled on a pleasant late afternoon walk I took a few weeks ago at the Nisqually Wildlife Refuge.
The refuge landscape is known for its famous Twin Barns, which date back to its days as Mr. Brown's dairy farm. Adjacent to the barns are several black cottonwood trees.
I wondered to myself, "Are these the most photographed trees in Thurston County?"
You probably ask yourself, "Why the most photographed?"
Well, for one because they are right next to the barns, which are often photographed. Also, because they stand apart from the rest of the Black cottonwoods at Nisqually, perched on the edge of fields which host thousands of Canada geese each winter. And, because they make an excellent perch for resident and overwintering Bald eagles hoping to swoop down over the geese for a mid-afternoon snack.
Renowned northwest photographer Mary Randlett photographed them several times.
In researching this blog post, I came upon an interesting factoid about these cottonwoods (or one of their nearby neighbors). The Department of Energy's Joint Genome Institute used DNA from a Nisqually River Black cottonwood to map the species' genome. How cool is that??
What other trees might be most photographed in Thurston County?
- The Douglas Fir Moon Tree on the Washington State Capitol Campus
- The George Washington Elm Tree on the Washington State Capitol Campus
The elm is a descendant of a tree in Cambridge, Massachusetts. According to legend, George Washington stood under the original tree to take command of the Continental army on July 3, 1775. This American white elm (Ulmus Americana, native to the central and eastern half of North America) soon became a symbol of patriotism and George Washington.
- The Daniel J. Evans Centennial Park Sequoia on the Washington State Capitol Campus