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Tree planting tribute also celebrates conservation
Harry Lydiard’s passion for planting trees and enjoying their growth has inspired memorial tree plantings as a tribute to the veterinarian and civic leader who died in December. During a visit with North Olympic Land Trust volunteers who help protect the sustainable commercial timberland, Lydiard enjoyed showing some of his trees’ healthy growth.
Some of Harry Lydiard’s friends and other admirers are making good on a promise they made to the tree farmer and civic leader a few days before his death last December.
They are organizing memorial tree plantings on the Lydiard Dry Creek Tree Farm.
“We knew Harry would appreciate help with getting some trees started on the land he most recently logged,” said John Willits, co-chairman of North Olympic Land Trust’s Conservation Committee, who came up with the idea for a tree-planting tribute. “We’ll feel good about being able to watch the trees grow, just as Harry did. This seems a perfect way to show support for Harry’s conservation ethic.”
Among those joining local friends and admirers in the planting Saturday, March 8, will be Lydiard’s daughter, Ann Martin, Seattle; sons, Brian Lydiard, Bellingham; and Tom Lydiard, Seattle, along with numerous friends and other family members who are coming from as far as Massachusetts. The sons and daughter, their spouses and grandchildren worked with their father to establish permanent legal agreements with the Land Trust that will keep 340 acres in sustainable commercial timberland and other agriculture, Willits said.
The family farm owners are working with local forestry professionals to complete planting at the Dry Creek Farm and to make sure all the timberland, which is located west of Port Angeles, will be well managed. Nash’s Organic Produce leases the 40-acre Bell Farm, in the Dungeness Valley, north of Sequim.
North Olympic Land Trust’s Stewardship Manager, Lorrie Campbell, took the lead in putting together the March 8 event. A variety of other organizations and businesses have pitched in, including Dry Creek Grange, Peninsula Trails Coalition, Olympic Park Institute, Green Crow, Merrill & Ring, Inc., and GoodMan Sanitation Service. Land Trust volunteer Toni Wade is working with several area schools to organize student tree plantings and related educational experiences.
Green Crow has donated 3,000 trees and Merrill & Ring, Inc., 1,000. Ernie Latson, of Green Crow, will be the chief tutor in tree planting techniques.
Chuck Molisky, owner of GoodMan Sanitation Service, has donated portable toilet facilities.
Peninsula Trails Coalition’s volunteers will make the March 8 tree planting the focus of their monthly work day.
Olympic Park Institute is providing housing for Lydiard family members at its campus on Lake Crescent, in Olympic National Park, and staff members have volunteered to help plant.
Dry Creek Grange Hall will serve as the information and refreshment center throughout the 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. planting. Campbell said volunteers will host a potluck there at 4 p.m. for tree planters and anyone else who wants to honor Harry Lydiard and his contributions to conservation and people of the area. People planning to be involved with planting or other activities during the day can leave their potluck dishes at the Grange Hall, where they can be refrigerated and then warmed up as needed just before the potluck. Volunteers wanting to contribute in a less active way than tree planting can help at the Grange Hall.
Campbell said people are welcome to come plant for a few hours or all day. They need to bring their own shovels, work clothes, gloves, rain gear including boots, and if staying all day, a lunch. They should check in at the Grange, then park at Dry Creek School, about a quarter mile away on Rife Road, and walk about a half mile to the planting site. She also suggested bringing a change of shoes for the potluck event.
Lydiard was a member of the Dry Creek Grange, served on the Board of Olympic Park Institute, arranged for the Discovery Trail to cross his land and worked with the local timber companies.
Family members have described Lydiard’s tree-planting passion as being fueled in part by his desire to maintain a sustainable source of timber outside of Olympic National Park. He was a strong supporter of the Park and Board member of Olympic Park Associates.
They said his interest in protecting special qualities of land through permanent agreements with the Land Trust grew out of another priority – helping to make sure land always would be available for growing the timber and food people need.
Lydiard’s other community service contributions that inspired the tree planting included two terms as a Clallam County Commissioner, service on the local library board, and active participation in numerous organizations, including Klahane Club, Community Study, Community Players, Olympic Conservation Council, Elwha River dam removal study committee, YMCA and search and rescue efforts in addition to more than 40 years as a veterinarian.
Willits said he estimates Lydiard must have planted tens of thousands of hemlock, fir, spruce and cedar trees with his own hands on the hundreds acres of land he reforested in Clallam County since the early 1960s.
Lydiard’s daughter, Ann Martin, said she believes her father found “true happiness and fulfillment in spending almost all his waking hours on his tree farms” in the years after he retired from his veterinary practice.
He remained active into his 80s, playing handball and volleyball at the YMCA in particular, she said. “But his primary focus was cultivation of trees.”
More information about the tree planting is available from Campbell at the Land Trust office, 417-1815.
In addition to ensuring permanent availability of sustainable commercial timberland and farmland through voluntary agreements with landowners, Willits said the Land Trust protects about 1,500 acres of land with such qualities as habitat for salmon and other wildlife, scenic vistas, open space and cultural heritage, mostly through agreements. It owns about 100 acres.
This entry was posted on Monday, March 3rd, 2008 at 3:06 pm and is filed under Latest News.