While ranking other people based solely on appearance is generally frowned upon in most circles these days, the ranking of trees – by age and size – is a perfectly acceptable way of celebrating of our leafy friends.

News has been slowly blowing around town over the past couple weeks that resident  Neil Norton got a White Oak over by the post office onto the Georgia Urban Forest Council’s Landmark and Historic Tree Register.  City Planner Amanda Thompson brought it to the City Commission’s attention during their last meeting and the DNO posted a nice follow up a few days later.

This got me thinkin’: what and where are Decatur’s other trees of note?  Turns out there are quite a few all over the city.

First, there are three other Decatur trees on the Georgia Urban Forest Council’s list, all at Agnes Scott.

There’s “Professor Dieckmann’s Magnolias”, planted by the long-time ASC professor back around 1905 where while walking one day, “took them [magnolia seeds] up with his pocketknife,” and planted them in front of Rebekah Scott Hall.”

There’s the “Battle of Decatur” White Ash, that “dates back to 1854. “The Battle of Decatur, the eastern front of the fateful Battle of Atlanta, was fought on this very spot ten years later.”

And then there’s the “Mystery Incense Ash”, the oldest and most – well – mysterious of the three trees.

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Charlie sends in this sad announcement…

This is a quote from an email sent around our neighborhood. It concerns the huge oak tree next to the rec center playground that has had a tree house in it.

A champion tree is the largest tree of its kind in the state.

I’m sure people driving down Candler will ask questions.

“We have received some very sad news that our Champion Tree in our backyard has root rot. There is no cure and has to come down. Root rot begins at the tips of the roots and works towards the trunk of the tree. We have root rot fungus completely surrounding the base of the tree. To many people our tree looks very healthy from the street and will most likely question why we are taking this tree down. I wanted to make sure that you all know why.

R & R Tree Co. will begin on Tuesday, Dec. 1. There will be trucks, a chipper and a crane around our house. The tree company will be posting signs to ask the residents not to park in front of our house or the Burges during this 3 day process. They would prefer not to close down the street. I do apologize for the mess and noise that all of us will have to put up with during this time.”