Guardians of the great white pine
Rooted in the center of the Michigan Library and Historical Center is a 60-year-old white pine, a tree affectionately nicknamed Carl by the crews who have cared for him over the decades.
“I’ve been here long enough to see the tree being enjoyed by generations,” said Tim Palmatier, a Building Operations employee. “We have parents coming through with their kids on field trips and talking about how they remember the tree from when they were in grade school.”
Carl’s unusual location has made it difficult to keep him healthy. At times when the tree has been in distress, a team of employees, arborists, professors of forestry and volunteers have worked together to return Carl to health.
In 1986 Louis and Alice Tank donated Carl to the state. The tree was about 30 years old when it was extracted from their property near Flint and transported to Lansing on a massive trailer. An 80-ton crane lowered the pine into a pit to take root. Unfortunately for Carl, work on the building was just beginning. Securing the tree in the center of a construction site exposed Carl to a lot of stress.
Many needles and branches on the lower section of the tree were scorched by asphalt heating. Ed Irish, the contractor who moved the tree to Lansing, continued to come back to water Carl and clean up dust when needed. He was an outspoken voice for Carl when designers wanted to cover part of the tree with a tarp during work on the building’s interior. Blanketing part of the tree while leaving the other half exposed to sunlight would have be detrimental to its natural growth.
Even after construction was over, many more unforeseen issues threatened Carl’s life.
Shortly after the building opened, it became apparent the copper-coated walls surrounding Carl were not ideal. The shiny surface reflected sunlight and made the enclosed courtyard sizzle. Workers sprayed the walls with an acidic substance to speed the aging process and dull the copper, giving Carl a break from the scorching sun. But the corrosive chemicals left pine needles damaged and discolored. It took the work of state employees and local arborists to restore Carl’s health.
When a crack in the foundation leaked water and deprived Carl of key nutrients, building manager Don Hover led a team to create a new watering system. Employees and local tree professionals engineered a bobber system that helped caretakers monitor water levels.
With its huge archways, the architecture of Carl’s home allowed air to flow through the outdoor courtyard. On one bitter day, this airflow turned into whipping winds that snapped one of Carl’s supports. The gusts lifted Carl, nearly destroying any chance of recovery. The same loyal team that rescued Carl in the past responded immediately. In a time of crisis, they hastily repositioned the tree and stabilized the support cables.
Mother Nature would strike again years later, almost killing Carl. Pine bark adelgid growth and an infestation of Eriophyidae mites required help from tree-care professionals. After collaborating with DTMB employees, a delicate herbicide and pesticide mixture successfully eliminated the problems without further harming the tree. After this incident, Stephen Woods, of Wood’s Arbor Solutions in Grand Ledge, joined the team of caretakers. Woods offers his equipment to maintain support cables, aerate the soil, fertilize the tree and control disease and insect issues.
Dr. James Kielbaso, a Michigan State University professor of forestry, takes great pride in volunteering his service to the tree. He has a passion for trees and has been working with the team of state employees to care for Carl for 30 years.
“I want to get its color back to a lettuce green,” Kielbaso said. “I want the pines so plush that they look like you can pluck them off a branch and put it on a salad.”
Today, Carl’s estimated height is about 65 feet. Although Carol has lost branches over the years and soil it’s difficult to keep the soil at the target 5.5 pH level, the tree is in good shape.
Through all the adversity, the unwavering constant in Carl’s life has been sustained by the people who dedicate their time to caring for the white pine. Caretakers at DTMB are projecting a bright future.
“Carl’s not going to die – not on our watch.”
[This was written by a graduate from St. Johns High School, Mitch Marier, Communications Student Assistant with the Department of Technology, Management and Budget for the State of Michigan.]
This week’s Mystery Photo
Where is this?
Can you tell us where this is located? Drop us a line at mail@sjindy.com.
921 N. Oakland St.
The current owners are Mark Pope and Julie Manzagol. The previous owners were Richard and Diane Western.
A Look Back – Mint Festival Gazebo
Barry Clark Bauer
This is a circa 1985 photo of the Mint Festival information Gazebo. The Mint Festival started out on the Courthouse Square and eventually moved to the St. Johns City Park.
Letters – CASA and Habitat say thanks
CASA-The Voice for Clinton County’s Children extends gratitude to our community which has so greatly supported our work during 2016.
We are also very appreciative of those who have helped to make the holidays a little brighter for our CASA families. One CASA Volunteer Advocate shared she understands not everyone is able to serve as a CASA Advocate, but the community support shows her their work of providing a voice to Clinton County children who are in foster care is appreciated.
I could not agree more. With the continued commitment of our entire team and the community’s support we will reach our goal of serving 100% of Clinton County children who are in foster care. Thank you for all you do to support our Court Appointed Special Advocacy Program.
For more information please visit our website ClintonCountyCASA.org. We wish you and your family a wonderful Holiday Season and look forward to a bright 2017.
Applications are now being accepted for our Advocate Volunteer Training which will be held early in 2017. Please visit our website for more information.
Yours in Service,
Kelly Schafer,
CASA Executive Director
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The holidays mean different things to different people. Whether you’re celebrating your faith, your family, your friends, your good fortune, or your health, there is a common thread. Much of how we celebrate takes place right in our own homes, or the homes of loved ones.
That’s why we are reaching out to you this season – because Habitat for Humanity of Clinton County believes to our core that homeownership is a basic human right. That is exactly why Millard Fuller created Habitat for Humanity back in 1976: “To rid the nation and the world of poverty housing and provide a simple, decent place to live-for everyone.”
Will you help us to do just that? Whether your donation helps us buy a doorknob, a room, or a roof, every gift counts, because what we are truly building is hope, relationships, neighborhoods and communities.
Next time you gather at home with loved ones to celebrate, look around you; you’ll see why the concept of Home has been a constant in human history. It is a special word in any language. Help us make it a reality for our homebuyer partners. Please donate today.
Thank you and the best of wishes from your local Habitat staff
from (l to r) Michael, Ron, Jason, L. Quinn and Meredith.
Maralyn’s Pet Corner – Cat Hairball Problems?
Hairballs are the bane of cat ownership. These clumps of hair bond together in the stomach and then are vomited up in our shoes, carpets and floors. But are cat hairballs normal, and is there any way to prevent them in the first place? Let’s take a look.
Are Cat Hairballs Normal?
Technically speaking, cat hairballs are not normal. Cats have been grooming themselves for thousands of years and their digestive tracts are built to handle the hair that is inevitably swallowed. Hairballs should move through the digestive system and come out the other end. However, when this process goes awry, the hair can clump together in the stomach and does not pass into the intestinal tract. It causes enough irritation that a cat will usually vomit up the wad, and voila … you have a hairball.
When I’m presented with a cat that brings up the occasional hairball and absolutely everything else appears to be perfectly normal, I don’t initially recommend an exhaustive work-up (that would take gastrointestinal biopsies). I will perform a physical (looking for both GI problems and dermatological conditions that could increase shedding), run a fecal exam, and if I feel they’re warranted (or the owner wants to be especially thorough), recommend a comprehensive panel of blood work (including a check of thyroid levels) and a urinalysis.
Why Do Hairballs Occur?
Cat hairballs can occur for a few reasons, but the vast majority of cases can be attributed to:
1. Ingesting more hair than normal.
Skin diseases (e.g., external parasites, infections, and allergies) can all cause cats to shed and/or groom themselves excessively, which in turn may lead to hairball issues. Extreme grooming can also be associated with stress, boredom, compulsive behaviors, and concurrent illness that is seemingly unrelated to the skin or gastrointestinal system. For example, a cat with osteoarthritis may attempt to soothe herself by stimulating the release of pain-relieving endorphins through repetitive grooming behaviors.
2. Altered gastrointestinal motility.
When a cat’s gastrointestinal tract is not functioning correctly, it may not be able to process even a normal amount of hair in the way that it should. Hairballs can be associated with inflammatory bowel disease, internal parasites, pancreatitis, hernias, foreign bodies, cancers, and other potentially serious diseases.
What are the Best Ways to Prevent Cat Hairballs?
If your cat is having an issue with hairballs, consult a veterinarian. Assuming your cat’s veterinarian finds nothing unusual during an exam, the following is typically recommended:
1. Add fiber to the diet.
The bulk of additional dietary fiber essentially “sweeps” hair through the digestive tract, preventing it from clumping together in the stomach. Discuss with your veterinarian on the best method to add fiber to your cat’s diet. One option is to choose a diet specially formulated with soluble and insoluble fibers to increase digestive activity.
2. Changing diets to a formula with fewer potential allergens.
Gastrointestinal inflammation (often caused by food allergies and/or inflammatory bowel disease) is at the bottom of many chronic cases of hairballs. A prescription, hypoallergenic diet is ideal, but over-the-counter limited antigen foods can be tried as long as owners understand that if a cat’s response isn’t ideal, a more restrictive food trial will still be necessary.
3. Take on some of the grooming ritual yourself
Increasing the number of times per week the cat is brushed will help any of the above solutions work better since any hair that is removed during the brushing sessions are not swallowed by the cat.
As long as your cat is not losing weight or vomiting up hair more than once a week or so, feel free to try some or all of these recommendations before calling your veterinarian. But if they don’t work, it’s time to make an appointment. Your veterinarian can look closely for any health conditions that may be playing a role in the formation of hairballs and make appropriate treatment and dietary recommendations.