Pikes Peak Historical Society has been documenting human-modified trees for almost 20 years. These remarkable living artifacts, displaying a variety of unusual shapes, are truly works of art, sculpted by highly talented and creative peoples. Known widely as culturally modified trees (CMTs), they are cited in several areas of the USA, and as far away as Australia, as the handiwork of indigenous peoples. This presentation will highlight some of the most spectacular CMTs found in our region.

Not every bent tree in the forest is a CMT. Most are “imposters”, modified by naturalprocesses, or fall in a grey area where it is currently impossible to know if they are real.

Criteria used by PPHS to identify CMTs will be given.

Today the study of CMTs is not without controversy: a brief history of Ute involvement since 1998, as well as a recent disavowal of certain types as theirs, is presented. Regardless, there remains a great need to identify, document, understand, and preserve these important artifacts before they are inadvertently destroyed.

Andy Weinzapfel, Pikes Peak Historical Society member and Chairman of the PPHS Tree Committee , will be giving this presentation at Eleven Mile State Park, North Shore Amphitheatre, at 8:00pm, Saturday, July 7.  Unless you have a State Parks pass, expect to pay a fee upon entry.

For more information call 719-748-8259 or 719-748-3861.