David, a member of our Tidy Towns Committee brought this tree to our attention.

He had spotted it while walking in Kilteevan . It is in the Doogarymore area but not in the forest. It was standing tall, a single somewhat different specimen. He wondered about its identification. The opposite branch formation is quite noticeable.

So we photographed it, tried to identify it but could not be sure. We contacted David Fallon an Ecologist in Roscommon to see if he could help us. David has kindly assisted is and in his opinion it is a Sitka Spruce. Our sincere thanks to David Fallon for pointing us in the right direction.

 So we set about doing our homework and this is what we have learned as a result of our research on Sitka Spuce.

 Keep in mind that this is our own desk top research and we have no qualifications in this field. We are simply raising awareness around natural heritage, biodiversity, learning about our rich environment and supporting our Tidy Towns Plan.

Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) is a large coniferous evergreen tree. It is the largest species of Spruce and the fifth largest conifer.

History 

The natural home of Sitka spruce is a narrow belt of the Pacific north west coast of North America.

It grows along this coast from Alaska in the north down through British Columbia, Washington and Oregon to California.

Sitka spruce was introduced to Ireland in 1835 as a specimen tree at Curraghmore, Co Waterford. The tree had reached a height of 32 m by the late 19th century, and 55 m by the late 1990s.

Sitka Spruce is a popular and widely planted forestry tree and is now naturalised in some parts of Ireland. Sitka spruce grows well in Ireland because it is suited to our soils and climate

Lifespan

In its native area Sitka Spruce can to live for over 700 years. 

Size

Sitka commonly grows up to 70 metres tall and 2 metres across when mature.

The tallest Sitka recorded is Ireland would appears to be 55 metres in height and 5 metres wide.

The largest known Sitka spruce record is 93 metres tall and 5 metres across though this is difficult to verify.

Growth

A young tree in a proper setting can grow 1.5 metres a year .

Flowering

It flowers in May. Both male and female flowers are found on the same tree. Male flowers are egg shaped, blunt and pale yellow. Female flowers are red, upright and oval, often crowded toward the top of the tree.

Pollination

Sitka spruce is wind pollinated and regenerates naturally.

Needles/Leaves

Are 2–3cm, slender grow straight out flat, are sharply pointed, hard and stiff, light green to bluish-green. From a distance the foliage appears blue-grey.

Cones

The cones (5–8cm) are distinctive, cylindrical, pale green in summer but ripening into nearly white, pale creamy-brown cones; each one of the thin, papery scales has a crinkly, toothed edge. The seeds are small and winged.They ripen in September and are dispersed naturally from October to spring.

Environmental benefits

Sitka spruce has an important role to play in Carbon Sequestration.

Trees absorb carbon dioxide and potentially harmful gasses, such as sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, from the air and release oxygen.

Wood Uses

Sitka spruce is valued for its wood, which is light, soft, and relatively strong and flexible. It is used for general construction, ship building and plywood.

The pale timber is generally traded as white deal. Sitka spruce timber is relatively light in weight but has good strength properties. It was used as the prime source of wood for American, British and French aeroplanes in World Wars I and II.

Sitka makes Music

As the Stika wood has notch free rings it is an excellent conductor of sound.

Because of its acoustic properties it is used to make sounding boards in pianos and other musical instruments such as violins and guitars.

Thanks to David for pointing out the tree . There is no doubt every day is a school day!

A large crowd gathered in Kilteevan Community Centre on Sunday 13th December to

enjoy a tea party celebration after all the activtiy in the community that ultimately led to

the village being awarded a runner up Prize in the “Pride of Place” national awards held

earlier this year.

At the celebration the new chair person, Michael Spellman made a speech thanking all

the people who had made the community a nation talking point. “It has been the

constant efforts of hundreds of people that have brought us to where we are today. 13

years ago we had a enthusiastic community however the community centre was in dire

need of restoration and the community needed to be brought together. With the

formation of the Kilteevan Community Development Group we are now the envy of

many community groups around the country”

Three of the original directors of the development group Eileen Fahey, Fiona Coen and

Hugh Brennan were honored at the event, “It is a testement to their hard work over the

last 13 years that we have such a wonderful space to hold this event in today. To the

people of Kilteevan when one mentions Eileen, Fiona or Hugh the words “Community

Spirit” is the first to mind.

Michael also mentioned the newly formed tidy towns group who have been busy litter

picking, flower planting and other activites to spruce up the crossroads village and

whose efforts were rewarded with a high first score in the competition.

To top off a great evening there was a very special visitor from the North Pole.

Check out the Gallery Below!

It’s December 16^th 2015, 3.15 pm. Temperature is 13 degrees centigrade and look what’s above ground in Kilteevan today!

Is this climate change or confusion of the seasons?

I wonder what Wordsworth would have to say?