Comfort Maple Explained

43.0591°N -79.3453°W

The Comfort Maple tree is an individual sugar maple (Acer saccharum) located in Comfort Maple Conservation Area in the Town of Pelham, Ontario. The tree is estimated (not based upon a complete ring count) to be about 500 years old.^{[1] [2]} If correct, it would make this one of the oldest sugar maple trees in Canada.^[3]

The tree is named for the Comfort family, who acquired the land in 1816.^[4] A township map from later in the 19th century shows the land owned by John B. Comfort,^[5] and a sign at the site tells visitors that the tree and the land around it were donated to the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority on April 30, 1961 by Miss Edna Eleanor Comfort.^[6]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Comfort Maple . 2008-05-06.
2. Web site: Ontario's Oldest Trees . 2008-05-06.
3. Web site: Niagara College Garden Clippings - Sheet 92 . 2008-05-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080509194317/http://www.niagaracollegegreenhouse.com/pdfs/0092.pdf . 2008-05-09 . dead .
4. Web site: An Ancient Wonder: The Comfort Maple . 2008-05-06.
5. Web site: Digital Collections Program (Note - 15MB). 2008-05-06.
6. The Comfort Maple was designated a heritage tree in June 2000 under the Ontario Heritage Act (OHA). (7)

   See also

   • List of individual trees
   • List of oldest trees

   External links

   • Satellite view of Comfort Maple
7. The conservation area is located at the end of a narrow lane off Metler Road. (Niagara Regional Rd. 28) near North Pelham. It is surrounded by farm land. It is just 0.1ha and has a small parking area. ^[6]
8. concrete, and guy wires.^[6]
9. Due to the rigors of age as well as at least one major lightning strike, the tree has been repaired over the years with bricks,^[6]
10. The current owner of the Comfort Maple is Dr. Paul Coyne.

    The tree is 24.5m (80.4feet) tall with a crown that is 38m (125feet) in circumference with the trunk itself measured at 6m (20feet) in circumference at the base.^[6]