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Trees

Our trees are one of our most valuable assets. They cool us on hot summer days, slow down the winter winds, help keep our air clean, provide us with lots of oxygen, and help to slow down water runoff from rainfalls.

Most of us respond to the presence of trees in the Campmeeting beyond simply observing their beauty. In this grove, we feel serene, peaceful, restful and tranquil.

Leaf Collection service is provided by the management of the grounds.
- Rake leaves into piles by the side of the street
- Separate sticks and pine cones from leaves

Tree Management:
• Before altering any tree, Association members are responsible to determine ownership by contacting the MGCA Board of Managers.
• Association members are strongly encouraged to consult the Rules & Regulations for any issue pertaining to tree care.

Wooded Trails abound around us.

Gov Dick Trails to the South and East of us in Clarence Schock Memorial Park, offer a network of intersecting, winding, hilly paths. At the top of the hill is the Tower. The famous Horseshoe Trail goes through here.
• To explore these trails, get a map from mtgretna.com, walk out Kephart Ave through the gate into the Heights and...
• Follow First Ave to just after the bend at the end, on unpaved Oak Ave, where a short trail on your left will lead you to Trail #5.
• Or turn right from First Ave onto Maple Ave, and you'll find the spring at Gov Dick and a trail that leads straight up to the Pinch Rd parking area, and Trails #5 and #2.
•• Most of these trails have steep inclines, and offer an added attraction to avid sports cyclists.

Lebanon Valley Rail Trail provides an easier walk or a bike ride on this old, well maintained tree lined railroad bed, replete with restful seating benches.
• To explore this trail, get a map from mtgretna.com, follow Timber Rd briefly to the big bend, then bear right onto the narrow paved road that leads to the trail.
•• Slopes are gentle, and hardly noticeable.

You can connect between the trails at Old Rt 72, or by crossing the road from the Rt 117 Parking Area, and going West a hundred feet to a trail that leads to the Leb Valley along around mile 7.5.

 
Our Trees

Our trees are quite hardy, however, as with all trees, they are susceptible to damage and disease, so anything we do to keep them healthy and to keep them from damage will help us to enjoy our grove for many generations to come.

The information below is provided to help increase knowledge and awareness of our trees.

 
Tree Trunk Health

Outer Bark - Protects the tree from diseases and pathogens.
Phloem - Just inside the bark, this is where nutrients produced by the leaves thorough photosynthesis flow to the rest of the tree.
Cambium - Growth takes place here, each year adding a layer to the sapwood, and growth to the bark as the tree expands in girth.
Xylem - Water and other nutrients from the roots flow through these layers, also called sapwood, which eventually become heartwood.
Heartwood - Having become naturally infiltrated with gums and resins, these old layers of sapwood are no longer able to transport nutrients, but make up the bulk of the tree.

Help protect the bark by removing strings of lights, other decorations, vines, or attachments that might create openings in the bark through which disease and pathogens can enter. Eventually, things attached to trees become embedded in the bark and cut off some of its crucial food supply.

Mulch

Mulch provides a better way for roots to get oxygen from the air and capture rainwater runoff from our streets and walkways.

Ongoing:  Keep mulch a mimimum of 2" away from the trunk to as far as the outer drip line or further. Mulch no more than 3" to 4" deep. Use wood chips or licorice root mulch.

Annually: As old mulch assimilates into the soil, add a new top dressing of mulch. To do this, gently loosen the top 3" of soil to allow more water and oxygen to penetrate. This is where most of the tree's root hairs are and is how the tree absorbs water and nutrients. Lightly spread fresh mulch on top of the loosened soil.

Add new mulch in this fashion as needed.

What not to do

Don’t pile up mulch (or dirt) against the trunk. Keep the trunk root flare exposed, so as to prevent moisture and insects from accumulating around the bark. Dyed red mulch is not recommended.

Don’t pile or lay anything on the dirt that will compact or harden it.

Don’t place trash bags or anything that may leak potentially toxic substances into the soil and onto the roots.

Don’t build a sealed raised box around your tree. This prevents the tree from receiving important rainwater runoff and encourages a secondary weaker root system.

Don't add soil under the tree's canopy. Keeping it at the original level will maintain the roots at the proper distance from the surface for better water and oxygen absorption, and will keep the base of the trunk from being attacked by boring insects.

Pets, Salt, Fertilizer, Flowers

Pet feces and urine are toxic to tree roots.

For snow melting on walkways and road surface near the tree pit, use environmentally friendly alternatives to salts, like clean kitty litter or sand.

As a general rule, do not fertilize your tree. Fertilizer is not a food; it is more like a prescription drug. It’s far better to give your tree systemic care and leave fertilizing to the experts for when the tree is sick.

It’s best not to plant flowers at the base of a tree during its first year of growth. Most perennials may not be appropriate for your tree pit area and their roots will grow to compete with the tree for water and other nutrients. It's okay to plant annuals later as long as you plant on the original unaugmented level of dirt.

PATrees.org - All About Trees of Pennsylvania
TreeCareIndustry.org - About Tree Care in General
Arbor Day Foundation - Tree Identification Guide