This Old Tree

Doug Still
  • 4.9 (48)
  • NATURE
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Old trees are awe inspiring links to the past that fire our imagination. What are their stories? Seasoned arborist and amateur historian Doug Still interviews local experts, historians, and regular folks to celebrate the myths and uncover the real tales. If you're a tree lover, join in to look "beyond the plaque" at heritage trees and the human stories behind them. Monthly.

  1. S'Ozzastru and the Ancient Olive Trees of Sardinia

    AUG 24

    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. 🌿 Guests Anna Maria Corda Tour Guide, Olivastri di Millenari di Luras Luras, Sardinia, Italy Marco Campus Agronomist, AGRIS Progetto Olivi Montiferru Oristano, Sardinia Fabio Piras Agronomist, AGRIS Progetto Olivi Montiferru Oristano, Sardinia Gianluigi Pili Agronomist, AGRIS Progetto Olivi Montiferru Oristano, Sardinia Emanuele Cauli Agronomist, AGRIS Progetto Olivi Montiferru Oristano, Sardinia Music Launeddas - Luigi Lai Cantu a tenore vocals - Su Dillu Songs from "S'arreppicu," Luigi Lai     Ripsosa pippiu     Fiorassiu in la (danza)     Goccius a Santu Idiu     S'arrepicu Reading Elias Portolu by Grazia Deledda Translated by Kevan Houser Guest Reader Manuela Buonanno Other References International Olive Council website "Why the Mediterranean is a Climate Change Hotspot," MIT News Special thanks to Ed Nardell Cristiana and Valerio, B&B Archè Theme Music Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com Artwork Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home Website thisoldtree.show Transcripts available. Follow on Facebook or Instagram This Old Tree podcast is a sponsored project of New England ISA. 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.net This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators. litartsri.org

    1h 6m
  2. The Ginkgo at Gu Guanyin Buddhist Temple

    MAY 19

    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. Guests Professor Ruihong Di Northwest University Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China Peter Del Tredici Urban Ecologist and Botanist Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University Boston, MA www.peterdeltredici.com Wild Urban Plants of the Northeast: A Field Guide Reader Wiley Wang Machine Intelligence Engineer Palm Springs, CA "Traditional Folk Tale of Gu Guanyin Temple" edited by Doug Still Voiceover Reading for Ruihong Di Martha Douglas-Osmundson LinkedIn Profile Music "Farewell at the Yangguan Pass," traditional, Tang Dynasty Xiao-zhong Wu soloist People's Association Chinese Orchestra 1992 Yellow River Other References The 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 Credit FlyOverChina, Xinhua News Agency Theme Music Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com Artwork Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home Website thisoldtree.show Transcripts available. Follow on Facebook or Instagram This Old Tree podcast is a sponsored project of New England ISA. 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.net This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators. litartsri.org

    1h 5m
  3. Tree Story Shorts IV

    FEB 24

    Tree Story Shorts IV

    Welcome to the fourth edition of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, where guests get to tell their own tree stories! Salacious pepper trees, historic oaks, a tree named after a Marvel character, a beech tree's farewell at a college reunion, big tree hunters, an old growth tulip poplar in Queens, a neighborhood ash tree in Amsterdam, and the largest tree at Kew Gardens - this episode has it all. Listen to what people have to say about the trees that inspire them. Guests Stephanie Carrie Screenwriter, Sketch Writer, Comedian Los Angeles, CA Trees of LA @treesofla (Instagram) https://www.stephaniecarrie.me/ Denise Lewis Masters Student, Urban Forestry UMASS Amherst Amherst, MA Devi Lakhia Student, The Learning Center Goa, India Fred Breglia Executive Director, The Landis Arboretum Ancient Forests and Champion Trees (Facebook) Big Tree Hunters (Instagram) Ellen Cliggott Freelance Content Marketing Writer and Editor LinkedIn Profile Barnstable, MA Magali Duzant Artist and Writer Website A Tree Grows in Queens Nadina Galle Ecological Engineer, Technologist, Writer, Speaker Website The Nature of Our Cities The Netherlands and Canada Mark Johnston Arborist, Urban Forester, Consultant, Professor, Author Website Planting Ideas in the Urban Forest: Autobiography of a Tree Expert Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK Theme Music Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com Artwork Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home Website thisoldtree.show Transcripts available. Follow on Facebook or Instagram This Old Tree podcast is a sponsored project of New England ISA. 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.net This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators. litartsri.org

    46 min
  4. India's Kabirvad Banyan Tree

    FEB 5

    India's Kabirvad Banyan Tree

    Meet Kabirvad, a 500 yr-old, 4 acre banyan tree in the heart of Gujarat, India. The spectacular tree is a national treasure associated with Saint Kabir, a 15th century mystic poet known for his timeless poetry. He challenged institutions, religions and social convention. Who was he, and how is his legend tied to a banyan tree? Journey to India to learn about Kabirvad. In understanding the tree, you may find the essence of Kabir himself. Guests Prof. Srinivas Reddy Guest Professor, Humanities Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, India Author, Illuminating Worlds: An Anthology of Classical Indian Literature Sankalpana Dr. Linda Hess Professor Emerita, Stanford University Linda-Hess.com Bodies of Song: Kabir Oral Traditions and Performative Worlds in North India Ronak Kevadiya Range Forest Officer Forest and Environment Office, Govt. of Gujarat Bharuch, India Dr. Vikrant Jain Professor, Earth Sciences Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, India Short Kabir Interviews Abhia Lakhia Jayraj Bhatt Anuja Bhatt Dr. Sudhanshu Sharma Kabeer Jesusa Kabir Poems Reader Gairik Sachdeva Cambridge, MA Lineages of Innovations (Substack) Kabir poems translated and provided by Linda Hess Music Raga Ahiri, performed by Srinivas Reddy (sitar), Rajiv Bhatt (tabla) and Sameer Sahasrabuddhe (tabla) Other References Burn Down Your House: Provocations from Kabir, Shabnam Virmani Gods, Wasps and Stranglers: The Secret History and Redemptive Future of Fig Trees Theme Music Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com Artwork Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home Website thisoldtree.show Transcripts available. Follow on Facebook or Instagram This Old Tree podcast is a sponsored project of New England ISA. 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.net This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators. litartsri.org

    1h 20m
  5. London's Charlton House Mulberry

    11/18/2024

    London's Charlton House Mulberry

    Did you know the British are mad about mulberries? A 415 yr-old black mulberry tree stands at Charlton House & Gardens, the oldest specimen in London and highly beloved.  Its story involves King James I and a courtier named Sir Adam Newton, the tutor to the King's eldest son Henry. It also involves a government decree gone awry. Guests Peter Coles Author, Mulberry Morus Londinium Dr. Stella Butler Trustee, Royal Greenwich Heritage Trust Chair, Charlton & Blackheath Amateur Horticultural Society Jason Sylvan Head Gardener, Charlton House & Gardens Kathy Aitken Volunteer, Charlton & Blackheath Amateur Horticultural Society Music performed by the Renaissonics "Coockow As I Me Walked," John Baldwin "The Satyrs' Masque," Robert Johnson (from Oberon) "Full Fathom Five," Robert Johnson "Strike It Up Tabor," Thomas Weelkes  Theme Music Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com Artwork Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home Website thisoldtree.show Transcripts available. Follow on Facebook or Instagram This Old Tree podcast is a sponsored project of New England ISA. 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.net This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators. litartsri.org

    1h 1m
  6. Saving Seeds: Bartram's Franklin Tree

    10/07/2024

    Saving Seeds: Bartram's Franklin Tree

    John Bartram was a Quaker farmer near Philadelphia in the mid 18th century. So how did he become North America's first great botanist? And how did he and his son William find themselves in the wilds of southeastern Georgia, fighting off rain, hunger and mosquitos, in order to find the rare and beautiful Franklin Tree (Franklinia alatamaha)? Come hear the story about why this tree at Bartram's Garden symbolizes the spirit of science and discovery. Guest Tom Reber Director of Landscape and Facilities Bartram's Garden Philadelphia, PA Readers Nigel Holmes Mike Savard Mike Sweney Josh Abrams Harpsichord Music performed by Miyuke Tsurutani "The Saint Catherine," John Barrett "Saraband," John Barrett "Hornpipe," Henry Purcell "Ground," John Blow References "The Life and Travels of John Bartram: From Lake Ontario to the River St. John," by Edmund Berkeley and Dorothy Smith Berkeley. University Press of Florida, 1982. "The Correspondence of John Bartram, 1734 - 1777," edited by Edmund Berkeley and Dorothy Smith Berkeley. University Press of Florida, 1992. "Franklinia alatamaha, A History of That 'Very Curious' Shrub," by Joel Fry. Bartram's Broadside, Winter 2000.  Theme Music Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com Artwork Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home Website thisoldtree.show Transcripts available. Follow on Facebook or Instagram This Old Tree podcast is a sponsored project of New England ISA. 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.net This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators. litartsri.org

    1h 3m
  7. The Tree That Owns Itself

    04/28/2024

    The Tree That Owns Itself

    Legend has it that Col. William H. Jackson of Athens, Georgia loved his old white oak tree very much. So much, that he created a deed for the tree and the land immediately surrounding it, giving ownership unto itself.  Could it be possible? Who owns a tree? The answers aren't always as simple as they may appear.  Guests Mateo Fennell Community Forestry Coordinator Athens-Clarke County Unified Government Athens, GA https://www.accgov.com/274/Community-Forestry James Komen Consulting Arborist and Attorney Los Angeles, CA https://www.jameskomen.com/ Pat McAlexander Author, Retired Professor, and Neighbor of The Tree That Owns Itself University of Georgia Athens, GA Music "It's Fun Being a Cat," Ziv Grinberg Theme Music Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com Artwork Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home Website thisoldtree.show Transcripts available. Follow on Facebook or Instagram This Old Tree podcast is a sponsored project of New England ISA. 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.net This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators. litartsri.org

    1h 2m
  8. The Mariner and the Mulberry

    02/28/2024

    The Mariner and the Mulberry

    A large old mulberry tree at Truro Vineyards on Cape Cod comes with a legend. A sea captain brought it back from the South Pacific and planted it for his young wife. Or his girlfriend. Or someone named Amelia. Is this story true? Who was the captain, and what became of him? Come along to open dusty books, unfurl old maps, and decide what you think. Guests Kristen Roberts Owner Truro Vineyards Truro, MA Ken MacPhee Arborist Representative Bartlett Tree Experts Orleans, MA Janice Pelosi Manager Truro Historical Society Truro, MA Norman Pope Volunteer Truro Historical Society Truro, MA Peter Coles Author of Mulberry Morus londinium  London, UK Consulting Editor David Still II Recorder Music David Bor and Kimberly Wass "The Wellerman" "Sleep Soond I da Mornin'" "Leave Her Johnny" Other Music The Hill Top Trio "Spanish Ladies" Theme Music Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com Artwork Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home Website thisoldtree.show Transcripts available. Follow on Facebook or Instagram This Old Tree podcast is a sponsored project of New England ISA. 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.net This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators. litartsri.org

    56 min
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About

Old trees are awe inspiring links to the past that fire our imagination. What are their stories? Seasoned arborist and amateur historian Doug Still interviews local experts, historians, and regular folks to celebrate the myths and uncover the real tales. If you're a tree lover, join in to look "beyond the plaque" at heritage trees and the human stories behind them. Monthly.

Information

  • Creator
    Doug Still
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2025
  • Episodes
    32
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 This Old Tree
  • Show Website
    This Old Tree

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