Missouri Master Naturalists- Springfield Plateau Chapter

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Hanging Tree


Three years ago, while riding down a trail in the woods, we found a freak of nature.  There was a 40 foot tree trunk with its base suspended two feet off the ground.

Sometime before then the dead tree broke off from the base, up hill and on the right, (see above) and the upper branches wedged into the top of a nearby tree.  It must have spent several minutes swinging wildly as a natural pendulum before it came to rest.

Hanging by branches













This unique example of randomness in the woodland has remained ever since, usually still, but slowly swinging in the occasional gust of wind.  You can see it move in this video.

I have no idea how long it will "hang in there" but I don't want to be around when it finally lets go.