FRIENDS OF JAMAICA POND 36 Perkins St., PO Box 300040, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130-0030 Gerry Wright, Founder and President Telephone: 617-524-7070 Email: FrederickLawOlmsted@yahoo.com TTY/MA RELAY 800-439-2370 www.FriendsOfJamaicaPond.org

Friends of Jamaica Pond History and Annual Park Keeper Award Frederick Law Olmsted a one-man play by Gerry Wright Nature's Class Room: Environmental Education Projects Environmental Research Projects Forestry Protection Projects Emerald Necklace Bird Club Volunteer Stewardship Program Calendar and Meetings and Press Memberships and Donations Links and Resources Contact and Email Info

"Let it be not for present use and delight alone, but let it be of such a work that our descendents will thank us for it." Frederick Law Olmsted

Nature's Class Room: Environmental Education Projects Jamaica Pond's Albino Gray Squirrel Eastern Chipmunk Cottontail Rabbits Great Horned Owls Red Tailed Hawks Butterflies and Dragonflies Emerald Necklace Wildflowers Pink Lady's Slipper Great Blue Herons Emerald Necklace Fungi (Coming Soon)

Boston's Emerald Necklace Jamaica Pond American Sycamore Trees have mythic symbolism for people.  The Liberty Tree was a revered meeting place for the Boston patriots and citizens.  In 1775, the large Elm tree on Washington Street was cut down by British soldiers and loyalists.  The Liberty Tree image soon found its way on to flags and banners supporting the cause of freedom. The American Sycamore had a different symbolism for colonialists.  The American Sycamore can grow over 150 feet in height and over 10 feet in diameter plus live over 400 years.  They were planted at the door of new homes as “Bride and Groom” trees for newlyweds to inspire long-lasting marriages.   Two American Sycamores are located on Jamaica Pond’s Pinebank Promontory.  The trees were planted next to the first Pinebank home, a Federal style summer cottage built by James Perkins in 1802.  This cottage was replaced by a year-round residence built in 1848 by Edward N. Perkins.  Images of this house clearly show two mature American Sycamores at about 40 feet in height. Pictures of 1802 and 1848 houses from the history display at Pinebank Promontory.  For details on Pinebank history by the Jamaica Plain Historical Society visit their web site at www.jphs.org These two American Sycamores (Trees 3690 and 3691) are just two of the over 50 Heritage Trees documented by the Olmsted Tree Society from the 7,000 trees surveyed in the Emerald Necklace. Details at the Emerald Necklace Conservancy web site at www.emeraldnecklace.org American Sycamore - Platanus occidentalis Also known as American planetree, occidental plane, and buttonwood.  Size: Grows up to100 feet high and trunk up to 10 feet wide.  Species have been recorded over 400 years old!  Alternate, maple type lobe leaves turn yellow.  Seeds are a spherical pod.   Bark green yellow wih peeling patches.  Often infected by anthracnose fungus that defoliates the spring leaves.  The trees regrow the leaves in early summer. https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=PLOC http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=200010589 Leaf, Bark, Seed (Click on images for larger versions) NOTE:  8 x 10 matted and framed photographs are available for $100 membership donations or 11 x 17 matted and framed photographs are available for $500 membership donations to Friends of Jamaica Pond. Contact Stephen Baird at info@communityartsadvocates.org

Contact and Email Information

FRIENDS OF JAMAICA POND 36 Perkins St., PO Box 300040, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130-0030 Gerry Wright, Founder and President Telephone: 617-524-7070 Email: FrederickLawOlmsted@yahoo.com TTY/MA RELAY 800-439-2370 www.FriendsOfJamaicaPond.org