Tree Map!
This weekend I finally had a chance to start my long-awaited Tree Map. I had this idea about last year this time. I wanted to catalog and map the climbing trees of Champaign. I had access to a GPS unit, and Google Maps, so it only took me a full year to get started on it.
Having friends with me helped. Laurie and Steph and I divvied up the tasks, and began walking around Champaign.
Steph would try to identify each tree, Laurie would photograph it, and I wrote down the latitude and longitude of each tree, along with the notes the other two observed. We rated the trees for climbability too.
And of course we had to try out the trees.
I tested out a particularly small-crotched locust (gasp?! yeah, we get to use the word ‘crotch’ a lot) on Neil Street, and came away a bit bloody.
A passerby asked if I had just won or lost a bet, and I explained the cataloging idea. I looked down and realized I was bleeding. Luckily, Steph is every bit a Girl Scout leader, and had environmentally-friendly baby wipes for me to get the blood and bark off of my skin.
I’m hoping to start figuring out this whole Google Maps thing soon. I’d also like to catalog a lot more trees. If anybody has a particular favorite, let me know!
Fun!!
Though I’ll have to pause and test it the next time I run past, I believe that there’s a highly climbable tree at University and Prospect in one of Champaign’s seemingly innumerable parks and parquitos. Actually, the internet tells me it’s in Trevett-Finch Park and that “children of many generations [have] loved to climb the hedge apple tree.”
http://www.champaignparkdistrict.com/parks/trevettfinch.htm
But praticing the fun cheerleader moves to get you up in the tree were the best part! If only there had been a more clever way to extract you with out injury…perhaps capes will be in order next time?
Sonya! Might I recommend the park located on Healey between 2nd and 3rd? I climbed a few different trees there when I was living on Healey. God I love climbing trees. Oh, and this may be a little illicit, but the pine trees located in the courtyards of the Krannert Theater are fun little climbs too…