One thing that sets Boise apart from other cities is its variety of historic neighborhoods. Paula Benson from Preservation Idaho says many are lined with trees due to the city’s first surveyor, Walter Pierce. Pierce laid out subdivisions and sold real estate across Boise in the late 1800s before helping build some of Elm Grove Park’s oldest homes – something Preservation Idaho celebrates this weekend on their Heritage Homes Tour of Elm Grove Park neighborhood. You can learn more about the trees of Boise at this website. This tour aims to demonstrate how Boise has changed over the course of 150 years of construction styles and architectural styles over this same stretch of Elm Grove Park neighborhood alone!

History

Since millennia, this grove has stood unharmed. Even during the Great Conflagration when an unprecedented firestorm swept across Arcadia, its entirety was spared from destruction by an unseen force; not a single tree in this ancient forest was burned during that storm.

A grove serves as a conduit for natural energy, providing allies within its range with an additional +2 to AC and saving throws, plus they may use an action on their turn to regain 2d6 hit points from its life-giving powers.

At the entrance to Council Grove stands a bronze statue that symbolically brings together two cultures that historically intersected there. On one side stands Madonna of the Trail, an Algonite stone representation of Manifest Destiny’s triumphant march into western wilderness areas to bring Euro-American civilization, while on the other is Kaw warrior demonstrating his deep connection to land and courage while facing off hostile foreign culture.

Threats

These ancient trees in this grove are over 500 years old. They have survived war, drought, fire, logging (although now protected), and Western civilization’s rise.

But these trees still face threats; those most obvious being people looking to harvest the timber they provide for sale or use; others include neglect, poor forestry practices, competition from younger trees and pests or diseases that threaten them.

Some sacred groves serve as biodiversity hotspots, sheltering species that have been hunted to extinction in nearby regions. Furthermore, these sacred spaces provide much-needed plant cover in urban landscapes.

TJ Watt and other members of the Ancient Forest Alliance came up with a plan to protect this grove of old-growth red cedars by organizing local businesses into an alliance that would pay a one-percent ecosystem service fee when their customers visit this territory. This fee helps support tree guardians as they pursue their work protecting these cedars.

Solutions

Old Boise neighborhoods are an integral component of our city’s identity, and while we encourage high quality development projects in these neighborhoods, we must never forget their value and their trees as part of Boise’s rich past.

Jistorii people lived within Kyraketh’s ancient forest of Kyraketh amongst giant oaks, living above them in villages built upon soaring branches, believing there to be some supernatural force emanating from within its trees and groves.

If this Grove were ever to become disrupted or corrupted in any way, its effects could wreak havoc among all other Wyrwoods – which is why its Guardian fights so arduously to preserve and protect it.

When the caster casts this spell, a 60-foot radius area appears from beneath the earth filled with towering trees, dense undergrowth, and interwoven roots. Allies of the caster who enter this grove gain a +2 bonus on AC and saving throws. They may use their actions on their turns to recover 2d6 hit points as life-giving energy from within it. Furthermore, they may call upon ancients for temporary animation of elements within this grove – summoning up to four Treant Guardians that obey his commands and fight on their behalf!