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The Secrest Arboretum & Wooster, Ohio is outstanding for a variety of reasons. It is one of two sites cited here that feature trees at the institution and the town surrounding the institution. The other site is Delaware State University & Dover, Delaware.
The Secrest is truly an outstanding educational facility and outdoor research laboratory for Ohio State, and also serves as a display garden. It is part of The Secrest Arboretum & Wooster, Ohio is in the Eastern broadleaf oceanic forest, and is within Hardiness Zone 5, a temperate zone. Winds are average, precipitation is average, and the dominant soil order is Alfisols. |
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But the most interesting part of the Secrest is most definitely the story behind how I acquired my data. In this study I encountered people with incredible enthusiasm and interest in my research, which really helped motivate me along the way. But nothing compares to what you will read now. My story begins when I received a phone call from a Dr. Burney Huff. At the time I was a little flabbergasted and confused, never having heard of such a Doctor in my life. He said that he had heard about me through an associate at the Secrest Arboretum, and that he would be more than glad to help me out. He also told me to talk s-l-o-w-e-r, as he was 86 hears old and really couldn't keep up with the pace of my speech! Immediately I realized how amazing this cross-generation situation was. Trying to be courteous, I talked a little slower and we agreed that we would keep in contact through email. I emailed him and he said that he would help me as much as possible, and did he help me out!
Dr. Burney Huff and I continued our correspondence, and he spoke of his experiences with Metasequoias. He told me that he would not only collect data on the trees at the Secrest, but in the town of Wooster, as well. He made one request: to know of data about some of the "BIG" trees at the Morris Arboretum and Princeton University. I happily obliged, and sent him data. Within two weeks, he notified me that he would be sending me information via snail mail. With fifty-one trees from the Secrest and all around Wooster, Ohio, I had a massive amount of information about the trees here. Thank you Dr. Huff! I am pleased to report that the trees Dr. Huff measUred have grown quite well. The twenty-five trees owned by Ohio State University were sent by the Arnold Arboretum and planted when they were three to four years old. One Secrest Arboretum 1680 Madison Avenue Wooster, OH 44691 |
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Furthermore, the Secrest & Wooster are unique and impressive because of the incredible number of Metasequoias here. A total of fifty-one Metasequoias were recorded. The Secrest Arboretum is owned and administered by Ohio State University. One of these trees is at the Field House at OSU, 24 are at the Secrest Arboretum, and another 26 are in various places around Wooster, Ohio.
the Wooster Campus of the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, a part of the Ohio State University campus. The Secrest Arboretum, originally named the Wooster Arboretum, holds 85 acres of more than 2,000 species of plants. Highlights include a rhododendron garden, and collections of crabapples, azaleas, roses, and hollies.
of them is at the Field House at Ohio State University, and it is currently 75 feet tall with a base 32 inches in diameter. The 24 trees at Wooster are all in a cluster, and are about 85 feet tall with bases 31 inches in diameter. These are very solid totals, certainly more impressive than those at the