Gabriola CMT with graffiti
By now I’ve seen hundreds of culturally modified trees on Gabriola; this is the only one I’ve come across that includes graffiti. The letters seem to be carved into the wood, and then painted — who would go to all that work? And what does it mean?
Filed in Gabriola Island,native plants 2 Comments so far
2 Responses to “Gabriola CMT with graffiti”
Duncan on 08 Jun 2009 at 2:50 pm #
Actually if you know where to look, there should be lots of “culturally modified trees” and not just on Gabriola Island!
This is a blaze put there by a land surveyor to aid in the location of legal survey monuments. BT means Bearing Tree and the number is the distance to the survey monument. Letters and numbers are scribed into the exposed wood . This bearing tree is clearly exposed but many old Bearing Trees are difficult to see as new bark covers the original blaze.
These trees may be the only means of resorting a survey monument so do not destroy them. The blaze is certainly not graffiti.
Gabriolan on 08 Jun 2009 at 3:58 pm #
Thank you, Duncan! This makes my day. I love it when readers are able to explain things that puzzle me.
There are indeed lots of culturally modified trees – both here and elsewhere. I find the ones on Gabriola because that’s where I live, but I do realize they’re all over this region.
If you’re a surveyor or if you know about survey monuments, maybe you’ll be able to explain the numbers on a survey marker I found in the woods. I’ll post a photo of it soon.