THE POOH TREE

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Camp Potomac Woods is home to a very special and magical “Pooh Tree.” Over the years, thousands of campers have climbed inside the enormous hollow trunk to have their picture taken. The Pooh Tree has its very own arborist, Mr. Trenton Thomas, owner of ArborArtist  in nearby Lucketts, Virginia.

Q. What is an arborist?

A. Arborists are professional tree caretakers whose job is to help trees thrive. Arborists are tree doctors. We carefully prune trees to remove broken or unwanted branches to balance out the symmetry of the tree. We carefully cut in a way that will allow the tree to callous (heal) properly, ensuring a healthy tree. We can also apply treatments to help trees to recover from fungal infections and insect infestations.

Q. Why is it called the Pooh Tree?

A. Winnie the Pooh, a character in the famous childrens’ storybooks by A.A. Milne, was a bear who lived inside a hollow tree in the Hundred Acre Wood. There are a, Winnie- the-Pooh’s tree had a door. And Camp Potomac Woods has 101 acres.

Q. What kind of tree is the Pooh Tree at Camp Potomac Woods?

A. It is a sycamore.

Q. How old is the Pooh Tree?

A. Taking into account that it is located next to a stream and the  Potomac River, which supply abundant water and allow it to grow quickly, and factoring in its height, I estimate the Pooh Tree to be 180 years old.

Q. Why is the Pooh Tree hollow inside?

A. Years and years ago, a high branch may have broken off during a storm, or the trunk may have developed a torsion crack from the tree twisting in a high wind. This break or crack did not properly heal. Water was then able to seep into the tree trunk through the incomplete callous. Cumulative water damage over decades has slowly caused the center of the tree to decay and wash away in the rain, creating a large hollow in the center of the Pooh Tree.

Q. Is the Pooh Tree going to fall down?

1. A.It is very hard to predict how much longer the Pooh Tree will stand, but sycamores are very sturdy trees indeed.