This Old Tree

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.

This Old Tree is a science podcast hosted by Doug Still, with 38 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Doug Still hosts This Old Tree, a science show with 38 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #8

  The Washington Monument Mulberry

  Aug 10, 20261h 2mS3

  A lone mulberry tree stands beside the Washington Monument. It is curious, unexpected, and impossible to ignore once you notice it. Who planted it? Is it historic? Is it one tree or two? Why is it preserved, when there is no other tree on the immediate grounds? D.C. tree tour guide Sam Nelson chased down the answers, found in a 2014 government report. The author is landscape historian Jonathan Pliska, who also wrote A Garden for the President: A History of the White House Gardens . In celebration of America's 250th birthday, host Doug Still hands the mic to Sam and Jonathan for a conversation that explores the mysteries of this mulberry tree next to our iconic national monument. The story involves several early champions of 19th century horticulture, and the history of the National Mall itself. Guests Sam Nelson Writer, Educator, Naturalist Tree Stories, LLC Jonathan Pliska Author and Landscape Historian A Garden for the President: A History of the White House Gardens References Historic American Landscape Survey (HALS), National Park Service (website ) Music "The Dying Poet," Louis Moreau Gottschalk, 1863 Played by Jim Rice Photo credit Sam Nelson Theme Music "This Old Tree," 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 the New England Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture . 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

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  Episode #7

  Kongeegen, or "The King's Oak"

  Jul 13, 20261 hourS3

  Kongeegen, or the 1,500 year old “King’s Oak,” is deep inside a forest called Jægerspris Nordskov in Denmark. The tree is named after 19th century King Frederik VII, who owned a nearby castle with his wife, the Countess Danner. It is a national treasure and one of northern Europe’s oldest living oak trees. Getting there meant a two-mile hike through the woods with guests Anders Jensen of the Danish Tree Association and forest historian Helle Serup of The Green Museum. They tell the biological story of Kongeegen, and how Denmark sees its forests. But there is also a love story - a tangled affair between the unconventional Frederik, the Countess Danner (aka Louise Rasmussen), and a wealthy newspaper publisher named Carl Berling. The Countess's own love letters embellish this true story from her point of view - scandal, romance, and all - and how it led them to seek shelter from the rain under this ancient oak. Guests Helle Serup Curator, Det Grønne Museum (The Green Museum) Auning, Denmark Anders Jensen Vice Chairman Dansk Træplejeforening (The Danish Tree Care Association) Reading " Beneath Kongeegen" by Doug Still and Ida Zecco, read by Ida Zecco and Martha Douglas-Osmundson (Louise Rasmussen's letters) References "Din hengivnes Louise": Louise Rasmussens breve til Carl Berling og kronprins/kong Frederik VII, 1844-1850." Ved Pernille Arenfeldt og Pernille Hasselsteen. Kong Frederik VII's Stiftelse Paa Jægerspris, Forlaget Fremad, Music "La Sylphide, Music for the Bournonville ballet" by Herman Severin Løvenskiold. Royal Danish Orchestra, Chandos Records, 1991. Special thanks Dansk Træplejeforening Robb Barnard Ed Nardell Theme Music "This Old Tree," 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 the New England Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture . 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

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  Episode #6

  Sa Melabrina and Sardinia's Monumental Trees

  May 5, 20261h 2mS3

  <p>Sa Melabrina is a Downy Oak tree the size of a small church, draped in moss and ferns. Her ancient arms spread wide in the surrounding forest near Illorai, Sardinia. She's the oldest and largest of her kind in all of Europe. And she's been standing here in these mountains for nine centuries.</p><p>What she symbolizes is even greater than her beauty.</p><p>The town’s mayor organized a remarkable conference drawing scientists, conservationists, and community leaders from across Sardinia and beyond, all united around a single idea: that Sardinia's ancient trees, its oldest living landmarks, co...

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  Episode #5

  On Defense: Estonia's Stadium Oak

  Dec 31, 20251h 4mS3

  <p>In the small Estonian town of Orissaare, football players dribble around a 150-year-old oak tree standing impossibly in the middle of their soccer field or "stadium." What seems like a quirky local oddity became a symbol of national pride when this tree won the 2015 European Tree of the Year, beating much larger countries like Hungary, Spain, and the UK.<br/><br/>How did an unknown Estonian oak outcompete all of Europe? The answer involves brilliant PR, ancient folklore, a fierce independence forged by centuries of foreign invasion, and a profound connection to forests rooted in animism. Could a tree...

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  Episode #4

  Arborists Live: Our Tree Stories

  Nov 27, 20251 hourS3

  <p>What happens when six arborists come down from the trees to step behind the mic? Find out by listening to this special episode of stories by tree professionals told LIVE in front of an audience at the annual conference of the New England Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture. <br/><br/>Where does the adrenaline come from? What barriers have been climbed? What drives them, ropes and harness in hand? Hear what arborists say about defining moments in their careers, their struggles, and what they love about their profession.</p><p>Guests<br/>Heidi Shingleton<br/>Arborist<br/>D...

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