Another Ancient Cypress Landmarked in Livingston Parish

King George Bayou in Livingston Parish holds a treasure-trove of beautiful old cypress. I was fortunate to have been contacted by Keith Hemsteter, a former (now part-time) employee of La Wildlife and Fisheries who had recently signposted  cypress tupelo habitat recently added to the Maurepas Swamp Wildlife Management Area along King George Bayou. He came across a giant cypress he thought would be a good candidate for the Louisiana Purchase Cypress Legacy. No doubt about this one! It has been awarded LPCL plaque #45.

Circumference: 21 feet (above the buttress)

Diameter: 6 feet 8 inches  Radius: 3 feet 4 inches

1st Boring: 5.37 inches   Rings counted: approx. 200

2nd Boring  3 inches       Rings counted: approx..144

Projected age: 1100+ years

Many thanks to Keith for discovering what at this point is the oldest known cypress in Livingston Parish and among the oldest in Louisiana!

Keith Hemsteter at the site of 1100+ year old cypress

Location on King George Bayou (which enters the Amite River) west of French Settlement

 A two inch section of one of the two borings taken. Rings shown here are farther apart than in other sections

Old growth cypress is plentiful along King George Bayou--much of it now in the expanded Maurepas Swamp Wildlife Management Area

Estimated Ages of Bayou Barbary Trees Determined

Livingston Parish is yielding a bountiful yield of old growth cypress. 

Bayou Barbary has at least a dozen centuries old cypress scattered along its banks. Two representative examples are shown below, Upcoming blog entries will feature a magnificent very old cypress on King George Bayou which, like Barbary Bayou, is a tributary of the Amite River. We'll also be featuring a recently landmarked cypress on Abe Hoover Road in Livingston Parish

Bayou Barbary , Livingston Parish   N30°20.244 W090°40.605 (visible from Pete's landing)

Circumference : approx 16 ft, 1 inch    Diameter:  approx. 5 ft, 1 inch   Radius: approx. 30.5 inches

First  Boring (3/1/17) : 4.5 inches—Approx. 126 rings counted    4.5/30.5=126/ 854 projected rings

Second Boring:              4 inches—Approx. 115 rings counted     4/30.5=125/ 779 projected rings

                        PROJECTED AGE: 600+ years         LPCL Plaque #47  “Alive in 1803”

Bayou Barbary, Livingston Parish,  N30°20.184 W090°40.605

Circumference:  approx 15 ft.3inches,  Diameter: approx. 57 inches, Radius approx 28.5 inches

First Boring (3/1/17) 3 inches—approx,  80 rings counted    3/23.5=80/626 projected rings

Second Boring            4,75 inches- approx 98 rings counted   4.75/23.5=98/484 projected rings

PROJECTED AGE: 400+ YEARS