When you think about it, with the Pando clone we have in Fish Lake Forest and all of the aspen stands that we have in the state and all of the agricultural and economic benefit that they are in the state, it really does make sense for it to be our state tree. – Sen. Ralph Okerlund, R-Monroe SALT LAKE CITY — Thunderous applause and a standing ovation followed a unanimous vote Monday to pass a bill in the Senate that would change Utah's state tree to a quaking aspen. The blue spruce, which became the state tree in 1933, will be ousted if the bill passes the House. Monroe Elementary School fourth graders sat in the gallery as Sen. Ralph Okerlund, R-Monroe, explained how SB41 originated from the school. A fourth-grade class approached the governor with the idea when he was visiting Sevier County. Okerlund, the bill's sponsor, said the change makes "tremendous sense." The blue spruce makes up less than 1 percent of Utah's forest cover, while the quaking aspen makes up 10 percent and is found in all parts of the state, he said. "The Pando clone down near Fish Lake … is the largest known organism on Earth. That clone is a clone of aspen trees that covers 106 acres and is made up of an estimated 47,000 stems and trees resulting from that same root system," said Okerlund, joined by his granddaughter, coincidentally named Aspen. The quaking aspen provides Utah an economical, agricultural and recreational benefit, he said. "When you think about it, with the Pando clone we have in Fish Lake Forest and all of the aspen stands that we have in the state and all of the agricultural and economic benefit that they are in the state, it really does make sense for it to be our state tree," Okerlund said. Email: , Twitter: Madeleine6 The Quaking Aspen - Utah's New State Tree 在用 Facebook。想和 The Quaking Aspen - Utah's New State Tree 建立联系,就立即加入 Facebook 吧。 The Quaking Aspen - Utah's New State Tree 在用 Facebook。想和 The Quaking Aspen - Utah's New State Tree 建立联系,就立即加入 Facebook 吧。 @quakingaspenforutah关于 The Quaking Aspen - Utah's New State Tree
State Trees
The quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) was chosen by the Utah State Legislature in 2014 to be the state tree. The quaking aspen replaced the Colorado blue spruce, which had held the honor of state tree since 1933. Aspen's main uses in Utah have been for fence poles and buildings, and as firewood. Some trees have been sawed into lumber or pulp. Recently, it has been used for paneling. The quaking aspen, which is also known as trembling aspen, makes up about 10% of the forest cover in the State of Utah and can be found in all of Utah's 29 counties. In comparison, the Colorado blue spruce makes up about 1% of the forest cover and is primarily found in the the Wasatch and Uinta mountains. The change was initiated by fourth-grade students at Monroe Elementary in Sevier County who didn't think that the Quaking Aspen represented the State of Utah as a whole. The students chose the aspen because a colony of trees develop a singular root system. They say that reminds them of Utah where we all work together to reach new heights. Senator Ralph Okerlund sponsored S.B. 41 because "the quaking aspen provides Utah an economical, agricultural and recreational benefit." The strong root system of the quaking aspen also appealed to Senator Okerlund because of the state's emphasis on family history and genealogy. S.B. 41 passed 26 to 0 in the Utah Senate on February 10, 2014 and was sent to the Utah House of Representatives for their consideration. Representative Brad R. Wilson, floor sponsor of S.B. 41, believes the quaking aspen is an appropriate symbol for Utah. "The aspen stems grow from roots of older trees," Wilson said. "This creates a very important metaphor that we could connect to Utah as these children of the parents grow and are very prolific." It passed 54 to 19 in the House of Representatives on February 19, 2014. Governor Gary R. Herbert signed the bill on March 26, 2014 at Monroe Elementary in front of the students who inspired the change. The governor signed the bill with 13 pens made from quaking aspen while sitting on a chair and at a desk made from the tree, as well. On May 13, 2014 the quaking aspen officially became the Utah state tree. Utah gets a new state tree: Quaking aspen February 12, 2014 12:35 am • Billy Hesterman - Daily Herald If the House approves of the tree change, the aspen will join a host of other items that have been declared official symbols of the state. Items such as the cherry, the dutch oven, the Bonneville cutthroat trout, the sego lily and the John M. Browning-designed M1911 pistol are all official symbols of the state of Utah. Identification of the Quaking AspenPopulus tremuloides is a deciduous tree native to cooler areas of North America, one of several species referred to by the common name Aspen. It is commonly called quaking aspen, trembling aspen, American aspen, Quakies, mountain or golden aspen, trembling poplar, white poplar, popple, and even more names. The trees have tall trunks, up to 25 m (82 ft) tall, with smooth pale bark, scarred with black. The glossy green leaves, dull beneath, become golden to yellow, rarely red, in autumn. The species often propagates through its roots to form large groves.
AdoptionRepresentative Brad R. Wilson, floor sponsor of S.B. 41, believes the quaking aspen is an appropriate symbol for Utah. "The aspen stems grow from roots of older trees," Wilson said. "This creates a very important metaphor that we could connect to Utah as these children of the parents grow and are very prolific." It passed 54 to 19 in the House of Representatives on February 19, 2014. Governor Gary R. Herbert signed the bill on March 26, 2014 at Monroe Elementary in front of the students who inspired the change. The governor signed the bill with 13 pens made from quaking aspen while sitting on a chair and at a desk made from the tree, as well. On May 13, 2014 the quaking aspen officially became the Utah state tree. Taxonomic Hierarchy: Quaking Aspen Kingdom: Plantae - Plants
State Trees
All of the state trees, except the Hawaii state tree, are native to the state. |