The Arthur Hugh Clough Oak's Architectural Metamorphosis: Crown Descent, Drénou, Geneva, 2019

(EN-FR-ES subtitles)
arboritecture.org/videos
“Chronology of an oak, Drénou, Geneva, 2019.11.28.
From a methodological point of view, the weak point of plant architecture has long been the reconstruction of the dynamics of development of trees from the comparison of different individuals. This bias can be misleading, especially for old trees. We therefore seek to follow the same trees over time from historical photos, follow-up of forest plots (2,235 trees monitored since 2010) and retrospective growth analyzes by dendrochronology. The old postcards, for example, true exhibits of this exercise, are particularly enlightening. They show that the vast majority of tree managers, on the one hand, act hastily without taking into account the long time of trees, and, on the other hand, overestimate the seriousness of the problems observed. When they are mistaken, they are generally mistaken by excess of pessimism (those who "trust" trees are rare). This is true for everything related to the decline of trees (hence the advantage of not relying on the often transient symptoms that are foliar deficit and mortality of crown branches), it is also for biomechanical aspects (how many forks are considered a risk when they are not?). "
- Christophe Drénou (free translation, original text in French)
The Arthur Hugh Clough Oak's Architectural Metamorphosis - Crown Retrenchment: 1906 - 2009, Christophe Drénou, Geneva, 2019.11.28.
Excerpt from "Oaks, a model of architectural resilience", Swiss Tree Day 2019, Geneva, Switzerland.
(free translation, original text in French)
Swiss Tree Day
"Let's talk oak! symposium"
Geneva, Switzerland, November 28th, 2019.
"The Swiss Tree Day 2019 will address the botanical genus Quercus in different forms, through the eyes of botanists, dendrologists, foresters, or nurserymen. The objective of the day will be to enlighten the players of the "tree in the city" in the management of an inherited ancient patrimony or in the plantation of new oaks. Reflections will also focus on the future of our common oaks and the opportunities for new species for our cities."
plante-et-cite.ch/wp-content/u...
Christophe Drénou, Doctor-Engineer at the Institute for Forest Development (IDF), research and development department at the National Center for Forest Property (CNPF) Toulouse