As someone who's fascinated by both nature and history, a recent story got me wondering about the age of our trees here in Minnesota. Just how old are they?

ThinkStock
ThinkStock
loading...

Sure, our 10,000 lakes get most of the headlines, but we have a lot a trees here, too. But are our trees as old as this 600-year-old white oak that crews were cutting down earlier this week in New Jersey?

According to this KSTP-TV story, that massive tree dates back to well before that area was settled (perhaps to the 1400's!) and has been a constant there ever since. George Washington once even had picnics underneath it, the story says.

But, sadly, the tree recently died, and crews have been at work cutting it down. 600 years is a pretty good run. And, just to put things in perspective, Minnesota didn't even become a state until 1858, so you this tree is pretty impressive.

CSJ/TSM-Rochester
CSJ/TSM-Rochester
loading...

And, it predates many of the trees here in our home state, too. According to the Minnesota DNR, some old growth forests here in Minnesota are estimated to be around 200 years old. Still pretty impressive, but not as old as that New Jersey oak tree.

But as impressive as it was, it doesn't hold a candle to some of the trees we saw in the Redwood National Park in northern California last year.

Some of those massive redwoods are estimated to be... 1,500 years old! Can you even fathom that?!?

More From Y-105FM