<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Five Lake Charles locals have recently joined the ranks of high society. Talton, Touchet, Tupper, Ferguson and Freed, of the genus quercus and of the species virginiana, were recently added to the roll of the Louisiana Garden Club Federation Live Oak Society Registry. All the members are trees, except for a single human.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Oaks must have a girth of at least eight feet or greater to be considered.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">All five of these Lake Charles beauties are located in the 1200 block of West McNeese Street. They help make up the park-like entrance area to the Five Oaks Development, a neighborhood with space for 14 Tupper Home Design &amp; Construction custom-built homes. One home has been completed and a second is under the early stages of construction.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“Tupper Homes set aside about 20 percent of the neighborhood for park development,” said Glenda Tupper.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Tree preservation added expense to the project when clear cutting the 4.5-acre tract would have been more profitable.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Two other developers paid careful attention to the health of its trees during planning. According to Carolyn Marcantel, Graywood Homeowners Association Manager, the Graywood property was originally farmland that included a grove of trees around 75 years old.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“The planners carved out the tract with the beautiful trees to be Graywood Park,” Marcantel said. “The trees weathered Hurricane Rita very well, but to ensure their safety, Mr. (Spook) Stream brought in an arborist from Nashville, Tennessee to trim and shape the trees to alleviate any damages and promote future growth. A wedding under that canopy of oaks is a beautiful and natural venue. ”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Oak Crossing, the commercial development at 5656 Nelson Road, also brought in arborists who aerated and fertilized live oaks that include a grove centrally located in a large park. The trees are sprinkled around the retail, professional office and restaurant space.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Tupper Oak has the largest girth of the Five Oaks registered trees. It measures 16 feet and 8 inches. Its spread, which is measured from farthest tip to farthest tip, is 102 feet. The tree is recognized by the society as being 100 years old or older.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Glenda Tupper of Tupper Homes said the names given the oaks are all family names, except for the Talton Oak, which was named after the family from whom the land was purchased. There are other “Taltons” registered in Calcasieu Parish by the society. The number each tree receives is also part of its identification.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“As my dad would say, this was my old stompin’ grounds</span> <span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">when I was growing up,” Tupper said about the Five Oaks neighborhood area. “McNeese was a gravel road back then. We had great fun throwing rocks and fishing off the bridge across the stream that skirts this development. We used bread balls smashed on a hook to catch croaker fish. They made a funny croaking noise when we tried to get the hook out. I suppose I took the shade of those trees for granted then, but it is a special spot and I am glad we could preserve it. Hopefully other folks will enjoy the beauty too.”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Two arborists, Bob Thibodeaux of Church Point, La., and Duane Brassette of Lake Charles, assessed the health of the trees and advised the Tuppers regarding what could be done to preserve and improve living and growing conditions.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Recommendations included pruning, root-zone therapy, micro injections and eco-mulching.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“It was an interesting process and chemical free,” said Tupper, “like seeing hundred-year-old trees getting a much-deserved spa treatment.”</span><p>(Rita LeBleu / American Press)</p>