Not only is Tree Tales fun and educational, but some good friends have been created from communication with other tree lovers. This story shows how lives can intermingle and how wide spread stories can reach. I have a few favorite trees, and on that list would have to be the ginkgo. Tree Tales has shared a few stories revolving around the ginkgo tree and Grace Thomas loves that tree so much that she gave one to her daughter Sue. Sue lives in Minnesota, but that is not too far away for Tree Tales to reach.
Today we have a story from Grace’s daughter who seems to be a traveler and has a few interesting tree pictures. She calls herself a true tree hugger and she sent me a picture to prove it. However, the tree featured today is from the mountains in Peru. The famous site of Machu Picchu situated at the peak of the Andes mountains. Machu Picchu which means ‘Old Peak’ when translated from the Quechua language, is invisible from below, but is surrounded by agricultural terraces sufficient to feed the population that once dwelled there. Water was provided by natural springs.
This site was rediscovered in 1911 by Yale archaeologist Hiram Bingham. Machu Picchu was a most amazing urban creation at the height of the Incan Empire. The origin and history of the Incas is at best, mysterious, although history has credited the Incas for the construction of this monumental feat.
People have lived here for the past 1000 years much like their ancestors by raising potatoes, maize and llamas. Many endangered species call this area their home, including the speckled bear. Some other animals that live here are the dwarf brockett, the otter, long-tailed weasel, pampas cat, ocelot, boa, the Andean cock of the rock and the Andean condor.
When Sue visited Machu Picchu, of course she was intrigued with the tree. She explains, “Whenever you see pictures of that ruin, you will see this tree. I’ve spent some time trying to find out what kind of tree it is, but I haven’t been able to find it.” Sue said she thinks it is some kind of canopy tree, since there are no branches until higher up the tree. If any Tree Tale reader has an idea to what this tree is, please share your knowledge.
Thank you to Sue McCormick for sharing this tree story with us. Thank you to everyone who reads Tree Tales and please send in your stories and pictures. Hope the rest of the year will be tree-if-ic for you.
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