Over 400 years ago — before there was a Village of Flower Hill, or a Town of North Hempstead, or even the United States — there was a white oak tree on Long Island.
That tree remains to this day, now at the intersection of Mason Drive and Dartmouth Road in the Manhasset section of Flower Hill. Last month, the village honored the tree and its owners, Melissa and Chris Reale, who have worked to keep it alive.
“They have been incredible stewards of this tree, investing thousands of dollars over the years for feeding, pruning and the like to maintain the good health of the tree,” the village said in a statement. “The Village of Flower Hill is proud to have them as residents!”
While the Reales own the property where the tree is located, much of its care falls into the hands of Scott Kurkela. A state-certified arborist, Kurkela has cared for the tree for 34 years, before the Reales purchased the property where the tree is located.
It was Kurkela who determined the tree’s age.
“This tree is comparable in [diameter] to a tree that was taken down in Little Neck,” he said, referring to a 600-year-old tree that was removed almost a decade ago.
He said that knowing the tree’s exact age was difficult, as the only way to be sure would require cutting a core sample out of the trunk, which could permanently damage the tree. But by his estimate, the tree has at least been around since before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock or the Dutch permanently settled on Manhattan Island.
There are white oaks all over Long Island, but Kurkela said this one has survived for so long because it has remained undisturbed.
“It’s in an area with low foot traffic, and its roots haven’t been disrupted by construction,” he said.
Beyond that, Kurkela and the Reales have taken additional steps to ensure the tree’s survival. The oak has lightning protection and support cables, and dead limbs are pruned. With proper care, Kurkela said, the tree should be able to live for at least another 100 years.
“These trees are survivors,” he said. “They are hardwood, which means that they can make it through storms and can heal over wounds quite quickly.”
The village’s ceremony honoring the tree was part of Flower Hill’s Arbor Day celebration, which is held on the last Friday of April. This year marked the fourth year that the village was an official Tree City USA.
