Louisiana Purchase Cypress Legacy

Ancient Cypress Landmarked in St. James Parish

 The Louisiana Purchase Cypress legacy campaign is pleased to announce that a truly ancient cypress has been landmarked with LPCL Plaque #71 ("Alive in 1803") along the Blind River in St. James Parish. This tree is among the  oldest identified in our state-wide effort to identify the largest/oldest  cypress in each Parish.

Tree is right of center

Here are the details:

Location: 30 06.120N   90 43.625W, about a ten minute paddle upstream from the Hwy 61 boat launch on the blind river. Tree is located in the State’s Maurepas Wildlife  Management Area

in divi

Circumference: 14’3”,  Diameter:  4’ 6”

Ist boring : 3 inches--  approximately 120 rings  counted

            3 (inch boring) / 27 (inch radius) = 120 (rings counted) / x (projected rings)

            x = 1080 projected rings

2^nd boring:  2.5 inches—approximately 104 rings counted

            2.5/ 27 = 104 / x

            x = 1123 projected rings

 

Closely spaced rings (lines on boring) indicate very slow growth

To account for the likely faster growth rate during the tree’s early years (not evident in the boring samples, which are from the outer section of the trunk) the projected age is considrably less than counted rings would indicate.

Projected age of this tree is conservatively estimated at 850+ years.  

This venerable cypress and the many other grizzled old cypress in the vicinity of this one have survived countless lightning storms, hurricanes – and, yes, plagues and pandemics—a reminder that our irreplacable  natural heritage in Louisiana is resilient and life-affirming.