By Angela Ray
I recently visited the Treaty Oak in Jessie Ball DuPont Park near downtown Jacksonville. This tree is a Southern live oak and has reached truly massive proportions — standing 70 feet tall, with branches spreading in all directions. The tree’s horizontal branches are twice as long as the tree is tall, some as long as 150 feet, and in many places they are supported by the ground. The main trunk is 25 feet around and the tree creates a shaded area roughly 190 feet in diameter. The tree is alive with activity as bees fly in and out of a beehive resting in its center. The oak’s color is a vibrant, stunning green this spring, and its enormous trunk is marbled with many colors, different textures, and swirling patterns that show years and years of growth. The awe-inspiring features of this grand oak are best appreciated in person; it is worth the visit!
The Treaty Oak was once the centerpiece of the Dixieland amusement park in the early 1900s, and was formerly named Great Oak or Giant Oak. In the 1930s, journalist Pat Moran saved the oak from development by creating a myth that Native Americans and settlers had made a treaty under the tree, thus creating its new name. In 1964, philanthropist Jessie Ball DuPont bought the property, once again protecting the oak from development. Today, the tree is considered one of Jacksonville’s longest living landmarks.
Some of the most impressive natural wonders in the Southeastern United States are the majestic Southern live oaks. We are surrounded by these amazing trees and for hundreds of years Southerners have loved, protected, and enjoyed the shade of these trees, especially before air conditioning existed! Local residents take for granted that these spectacular oaks are part of our everyday life; living aside our local roads, in neighborhoods, on city properties, and in our parks.
In the Southern states there are many famous, iconic, and ancient Southern live oaks. Examples include: Angel Oak on Johns Island, South Carolina (300-500 years old), Big Oak in Thomasville, Georgia (340 years old), Seven Sisters Oak in Louisiana (500-1,000 years old), The Big Tree in Rockport, Texas (1,000-2,000 years old). In our area, Cumberland Island’s north end has many impressive specimens near Plum Orchard, and of course Amelia Island has its own mighty giants. In most situations, humans action creates these grand oaks. Most of the mammoth trees achieve their size because the forest around them has been cleared, leaving them room and resources to reach truly monumental proportions.
Large oak trees benefit their surroundings. The shaded area created by a large oak tree provides significant and measurable cooling. The tree’s process of transpiration creates nature’s version of a highly efficient air conditioner. Transpiration is the evaporation of water from the surface of a tree’s leaves. A large, mature oak tree can transpire over 100 gallons of water per day during the growing season, adding water to the atmosphere and fueling the water cycle in the form of afternoon thunderstorms. These gentle giants provide us with visual beauty, cooling systems, and sun protection. Cities with lots of mature trees are significantly cooler than those without.
In Celtic folklore, the oak tree is considered the “king of the forest,” representing strength, wisdom, endurance, and stability. In this ancient culture, the oak tree was thought to be a connector between heaven and earth, the roots representing the earth, and the canopy the heavens. The wisdom of an oak tree was thought to be derived from centuries of watching the world change around it. It is interesting to consider the history experienced by a thousand-year-old oak tree. The Treaty Oak in Jacksonville has witnessed hundreds of years of human activity; most recently, local high school students took their prom pictures among the tree’s iconic and beautiful scenery.