Black Walnut
249 Garafraxa St E
Fergus
Approximately 120-130 years old
DBH: 95.5 cm
Height: 21 m
Canopy: 30 m
Carbon Stored: 5.3 ton
Water Runoff Mitigated: 692 L
Check out all of the winning trees across Southern Ontario here!
At over 150 years old, the Black Walnut in the front yard of a Fergus home was a stellar choice for Centre Wellington’s Tree of the Year.
After receiving more than 40 nominations, Tree of the Year judges chose this Black Walnut. Its branches span 30 metres, towering over the entire front yard of Heather-Jane and Mike Maurice’s home at 249 Garafraxa St E in Fergus. “The tree is like a member of our family,” says
Heather-Jane.
On Sunday, Oct 1, community members gathered around the tree for the coronation. Tree Trust Director Toni Ellis opened the ceremony. To the strains of ‘Pomp and Circumstance’, the Honourable Senator Rob Black (great, great nephew of the home’s builder James Black) and
Centre Wellington Mayor Shawn Watters draped the tree with a huge, colourful sash made by local artist and tree lover Randi Vann. Local historian Al Koop gave some background on the tree and the uses of wood in the early days in Fergus. And arborist Phil Guenter of Baum Tree
Care outlined fascinating facts about this remarkable Black Walnut.
Attendees enjoyed apple cider and maple cookies, while listening to Fergus musician Ben Wright of The Barrel Boys, who entertained with original tree-themed songs. A big thank you went out to the Tree of the Year judging panel, consisting of Koop, Guenter, as well as Kathy Bouma, an expert horticulturalist and this year’s Centre Wellington Citizen of the Year. The Tree of the Year pageant was sponsored by the Echo Foundation, in Centre Wellington as well as five other Tree Trust Chapters.
Tree Trust fights climate change one tree at a time, focusing on preserving our biggest and best urban trees, the ones that give us so many ecological benefits like clean air and water; healthy soil; shade and moisture; and a diverse natural habitat.
