Trees Posts - Nate Shivar

Redwoods

Sequoia sempervirens, known as the Coast Redwoods of California, are the most majestic & most perfect trees on Earth.

Redwood Tree on the Trillium Trail in Redwood State & National Parks

It’s really hard to over-hype Redwood trees. They are the most majestic flora on Earth. And even though they are scattered throughout Northern California, seeing them clustered together in an intact ecosystem is awe inspiring.

A Southern Magnolia Flower So Beautiful That It Looks Fake

No filters, no edits. Taken with a Pixel 7a.

American Chestnut Tree Growing at Atlanta History Center

Efforts to bring back the American Chestnut have been slow but steady. And I was surprised to find a planting at none other than the Atlanta History Center! It’s not as old or as established as the ones at Allatoona Dam, but they seem healthy and strong. They are a fun little Easter Egg tucked inconspicuously in the very back of the Center’s property near The Wood Cabin.

Dogwood Tree Growing on The Ground

This dogwood was pushed to the ground by a larger tree, but it stayed rooted and healthy. Now it looks like Dogwood flowers are blooming on the trail.

Bald Cypress Forest at George L Smith State Park

George L Smith State Park is small in acreage but dense in nature. The blackwater river (dammed by an old mill) is packed with majestic Bald Cypress. They are a joy to to paddle through – and incredible for birding.

Ridiculously Perfect Eastern Hemlock

With so many Eastern Hemlocks dying, I’m always on the look out for a really good looking specimen. This one at Hardman Farm State Historic Site is one of the most symmetrical that I’ve ever seen.

South Georgia Pine Forest

Even though they aren’t all Longleaf anymore, I still love the expanse of Loblolly Pines in South Georgia.

4 Notes on Seeing a Mature(!) American Chestnut Tree

I got to see a mature-ish American Chestnut!

Beeches on Rice Camp Trail in the Cohutta Wilderness

I love how beeches hold on to those leaves far past Fall.

Trail at Lake Charlotte Nature Preserve

Lake Charlotte is an accidental treasure in the City of Atlanta. It’s a conservation tract right in the middle of a massive industrial area. But the tract is big enough and so dense with mature hardwoods that it’s a scenic oasis in the city. Love it.

Ginkgo Tree Carefully Dropping Leaves

Ginkgo trees really are very different. I love how their leaves come in & then drop suddenly. There’s no slowly dropping them over time like oaks – it’s just like “drop!”.

Autumn in the Cohutta Wilderness

The colors in the background are the focus, but the composition is deliberate here. The irony of the southern Appalachians is that it’s hard to photograph the trees, thanks to all the trees.

Champion Eastern Redcedar

On my trip to General Coffee State Park in south Georgia, I got to visit the largest Eastern Redcedar in the United States. It’s in an isolated church graveyard…and is quite a big guy. The tree has witnessed a lot of history since 1802.