This Old Tree

On Defense: Estonia's Stadium Oak

In the small Estonian town of Orissaare, football players dribble around a 150-year-old oak tree standing impossibly in the middle of their soccer field or "stadium." What seems like a quirky local oddity became a symbol of national pride when this tree won the 2015 European Tree of the Year, beating much larger countries like Hungary, Spain, and the UK.How did an unknown Estonian oak outcompete all of Europe? The answer involves brilliant PR, ancient folklore, a fierce independence forged by centuries of foreign invasion, and a profound connection to forests rooted in animism. Could a tree resist the Soviets? Learn about its inspiring legend that captured the attention of tree-lovers around the world.GuestsAliide NaylorJournalist and AuthorLondon, UKThe Shadow in the East: Vladimir Putin and the New Baltic Frontaliidenaylor.comHeiki HansoArboristOrissaare, EstoniaAndla RüütelManager, Orissaare Sports HallOrissaare, EstoniaVoiceover Reading for Andla RüütelMartha Douglas-OsmundsonLinkedIn ProfileSongs (in order)"Saaremaa valss," Georg Ots"Ma vaatan paadist kiikriga," Boris Lehtlaan"Metsavendade laul (sõnadega) - Forest Brothers' Song," Untsakad"Isegi unes," Stig Rästa (permission from FAAR Music)Other References"The Favours of the Sacred Tree," Estonian Folk Tales: the Heavenly Wedding,Piret Paar and Anne Turnpu, authors, 2005.Silence of the Gods: The Untold History of Europe's Last Pagan Peoples, Francis Young, 2025.European Tree of the Year, Environmental Partnership AssociationTheme Music"This Old Tree," Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.comArtworkDahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/homeWebsitethisoldtree.showTranscripts available.Follow onFacebook or Instagram This Old Tree podcast is a sponsored project of the New England Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture. To support This Old Tree and New England ISA, click here. We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~4 or 5 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to:doug@thisoldtree.netThis episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators. litartsri.org

Arborists Live: Our Tree Stories

What happens when six arborists come down from the trees to step behind the mic? Find out by listening to this special episode of stories by tree professionals told LIVE in front of an audience at the annual conference of the New England Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture. Where does the adrenaline come from? What barriers have been climbed? What drives them, ropes and harness in hand? Hear what arborists say about defining moments in their careers, their struggles, and what they love about their profession.GuestsHeidi ShingletonArboristDirigo Tree ServiceFreeport, MEDavid AndersonArboristMayer Tree ServiceEssex, MAJune MoulisStudent, Urban Forestry and Arboriculture ConcentrationUMASS AmherstTom MarinoCertified ArboristSavATreeNorwalk, CTLindsay WatkinsStrafford County ForesterUNH Cooperative ExtensionDurham, NHRich CartierNortheast Territory ManagerRainbow EcoscienceMilford, MAStories told on location at "The Canopy Connection: 2025 New England Chapter ISA Annual Conference and Trade Show," Southbridge, MA, October 7, 2025. Music"Not Long Now," FalconerTheme Music"This Old Tree," Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.comArtworkDahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/homeWebsitethisoldtree.showTranscripts available.Follow onFacebook or Instagram This Old Tree podcast is a sponsored project of the New England Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture. To support This Old Tree and New England ISA, click here. We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~4 or 5 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to:doug@thisoldtree.netThis episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators. litartsri.org

The General Sherman Tree: First Encounters

High up in California's Sierra Nevada mountains stands the largest tree on earth by volume - the General Sherman Tree. The famous giant sequoia has captivated millions of visitors, but few know the rich tapestry of stories woven around its massive trunk.Join us as we explore the “Giant Forest” of Sequoia National Park with former park ranger and author William C. Tweed. From the indigenous Monache and Yokuts who first walked among these giants, to ambitious Euro-American explorers like John Muir, to a Black Army Captain who became the parks first true manager, discover how "first encounters" with giant sequoias become life altering events. What evolutionary secrets allow sequoias to get so big? Why do frequent fires help them to survive? And what is "sequoia time?" The General Sherman tree and its mates have changed how we view the natural world and our place within it.GuestWilliam C. TweedAuthor and Retired Chief NaturalistSequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, CAKing SequoiaChallenge of the Big Trees: The History of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (co-author with Lary M. Dilsaver)ReadersJosh Abrams (Hale Tharp)Ewen Eadie (John Muir)Jeff Taliaferro (Capt. Charles Young)MusicJustin PetersTree Visitor InterviewTom AllenEmmy RileyAlex AllenOrganizations That Support Giant SequoiasNational Park Service, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National ParksGiant Sequoias Land CoalitionSequoia Parks ConservancySave the Redwoods LeagueAncient Forest SocietyTule River Tribe of CaliforniaTheme Music"This Old Tree," Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.comArtworkDahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/homeWebsitethisoldtree.showTranscripts available.Follow onFacebook or Instagram This Old Tree podcast is a sponsored project of the New England Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture. To support This Old Tree and New England ISA, click here. We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~4 or 5 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to:doug@thisoldtree.netThis episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators. litartsri.org

S'Ozzastru and the Ancient Olive Trees of Sardinia

Some trees are old — and then there's S’Ozzastru. Nestled near the village of Luras on the island of Sardinia, this ancient olive tree has stood for nearly 4,000 years. Also known as "The Great Patriarch" or "The Patriarch of Nature," the bronze age tree is a living witness to the rise and fall of civilizations.How has it endured for millennia? Who, across the centuries, has found shelter beneath its branches? And will the millennial olive trees of Sardinia continue to survive?Join us as we travel to the heart of the Mediterranean in search of secrets to one of the world’s oldest living trees. 🌿GuestsAnna Maria CordaTour Guide, Olivastri di Millenari di LurasLuras, Sardinia, ItalyMarco CampusAgronomist, AGRISProgetto Olivi MontiferruOristano, SardiniaFabio PirasAgronomist, AGRISProgetto Olivi MontiferruOristano, SardiniaGianluigi PiliAgronomist, AGRISProgetto Olivi MontiferruOristano, SardiniaEmanuele CauliAgronomist, AGRISProgetto Olivi MontiferruOristano, SardiniaMusicLauneddas - Luigi LaiCantu a tenore vocals - Su DilluSongs from "S'arreppicu," Luigi Lai    Ripsosa pippiu    Fiorassiu in la (danza)    Goccius a Santu Idiu    S'arrepicuReadingElias Portolu by Grazia DeleddaTranslated by Kevan HouserGuest Reader Manuela BuonannoOther ReferencesInternational Olive Council website"Why the Mediterranean is a Climate Change Hotspot," MIT NewsSpecial thanks toEd NardellTheme Music"This Old Tree," Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.comArtworkDahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/homeWebsitethisoldtree.showTranscripts available.Follow onFacebook or Instagram This Old Tree podcast is a sponsored project of the New England Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture. To support This Old Tree and New England ISA, click here. We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~4 or 5 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to:doug@thisoldtree.netThis episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators. litartsri.org

The Ginkgo at Gu Guanyin Buddhist Temple

Have you seen those breathtaking aerial photos of a solitary ginkgo tree in a courtyard, its leaves creating a perfect golden carpet of fallen leaves? This isn't just any tree—it's a 1,400-year-old living witness to history, standing tall within the walls of China's Gu Guanyin Buddhist Temple.While its stunning autumn transformation goes viral online each year, the story behind this magnificent being remains largely unknown to Western audiences. Why was this particular tree planted at this particular temple? Could it really have been placed there by Emperor Taizong himself, one of China's most celebrated rulers? Why are ginkgo trees so special?Join us as we unravel the mysteries of this famous ginkgo tree and explore its remarkable connection to the golden age of the Tang Dynasty.GuestsProfessor Ruihong DiNorthwest UniversityXi'an, Shaanxi Province, ChinaPeter Del TrediciUrban Ecologist and BotanistArnold Arboretum of Harvard UniversityBoston, MAwww.peterdeltredici.comWild Urban Plants of the Northeast: A Field GuideReaderWiley WangMachine Intelligence EngineerPalm Springs, CA"Traditional Folk Tale of Gu Guanyin Temple" edited by Doug StillVoiceover Reading for Ruihong DiMartha Douglas-OsmundsonLinkedIn ProfileMusic"Farewell at the Yangguan Pass," traditional, Tang DynastyXiao-zhong Wu soloistPeople's Association Chinese Orchestra1992 Yellow RiverOther ReferencesThe Ruler's Guide: China's Greatest Emperor and His Timeless Secrets of Success, Chinghua Tang, Scribner, 2017.Ginkgo: The Tree That Time Forgot, Peter Crane, Yale University Press, 2013.Photo CreditFlyOverChina, Xinhua News AgencyTheme Music"This Old Tree," Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.comArtworkDahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/homeWebsitethisoldtree.showTranscripts available.Follow onFacebook or Instagram This Old Tree podcast is a sponsored project of the New England Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture. To support This Old Tree and New England ISA, click here. We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~4 or 5 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to:doug@thisoldtree.netThis episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators. litartsri.org