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Building Fredericton's Natural Heritage

Fredericton Heritage Trusts' recent gift to the City of Fredericton is a donation towards the planting of five heritage tree species. Information about each species (below) is taken from material given by the City Forester, Don Murray.

The "Trusts' trees" are planted and "unveiled" in May 2006 simultaneously at each of two sites in Carleton Park (northside) and near the walking bridge on the Green (southside).

Species to be planted:

Red Oak:
Quercus rubra L.
Family: Fagaceae
Deciduous hardwood Height: 18-27m Stem diameter: 40-90 cm

Red oak in New Brunswick grows mostly on the slopes of river valleys where it is mixed with other hardwoods and occasional softwoods. It can become established in shade, but requires good access to light to grow to maturity. Its acorns take two summers to mature.

The wood is heavy, hard and strong, and can be used for flooring, furniture, interior trim, and for barrels to hold dry goods. The leaves turn red to purplish-red in autumn; this adds to the appeal of red oak as an ornamental species.

Bur Oak:
Quercus macrocarpa Michx.
Family: Fagaceae
Deciduous hardwood Height: 15-20 m Stem diameter: 30-40 cm

A rare species in New Brunswick being restricted to the lower Saint John River valley, where it grows with other hardwood species of richer bottomland sites. It is intermediate in shade tolerance, requiring good access to light once fully established. Its acorns mature in one season.

Because the tree is seldom found in New Brunswick, it has no specific use here. Elsewhere its hard, strong wood is used for furniture, interior trim, boat building, wine casks, and barrels for storing liquids. Bur oak is a useful ornamental, especially as it withstands city environments well.

Sugar Maple:
Acer saccharum Marsh.
Family: Aceraceae
Deciduous hardwood Height: 23-27 m Stem diameter: 50-70 cm

Typical of hillside and hilltop forests in New Brunswick. Occurs commonly with beech and yellow birch. Shade tolerant but grows faster in open conditions.

Produces heavy, hard wood (hard maple or rock maple) used in furniture, flooring and specialty goods such as bowling pins or woodenware. Sometimes flecks or flares occur in the wood which can then be used for ìbirdís-eye- mapleî or ìfiddlebackî products. Rising sap is often tapped in spring and used for maple syrup and maple syrup products.

Red Maple
Acer rubrum L.
Family: Aceracae
Deciduous hardwood Height: 16-25 m Stem diameter: 30-60 cm

Grows in association with many species, both shade tolerant and shade intolerant, and on both wet and dry sites. Red maple itself can tolerate considerable shade when young but requires abundant light later. Regeneration often occurs by sprouting from stumps, so clumps of red maple stems are common.

Produces a moderately hard wood (which is called soft maple) used to some extent in furniture, veneer, boxes, and pulpwood. Flowers are produced before the leaves, and fruits, which are red when young, are shed in June. The leaves turn a bright red in autumn. Red maple is frequently grown as an ornamental tree.

White Ash
Fraxinus americana L.
Family: Oleaceae
Deciduous hardwood Height: 18-23 m Stem diameter: 50-70 cm

White ash commonly occurs as a scattered individual in mixture with beech and sugar maple, basswood and butternut, or with some conifers. It withstands some shade when young, but requires good light later if it is to do well.

The wood is hard, strong, tough, and takes bending well. These features made it suitable for snow shoes, tool handles, sporting goods and furniture where strength is required. White ash is occasionally planted as an ornamental.

Further information may be found at the Canadian Forestry Service
http://www.atl.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/index-e/index-e.html
Click on 'Handbook of Maritime Trees'.