Nathan Mayberg is reporting in the Register Star one of the largest trees in Columbia County is heading for the sawmill. The diseased oak is approximately 200 years old and measures 58 inches in diameter. It is located on Route 217 in Claverack and is scheduled to be removed by the state Department of Transportation. The tree, which sits very near the edge of the road, has been trimmed several times out of safety concerns. Melissa Slater, an assistant to the regional director of the DOT’s Region 8 office, said the department has not yet determined precisely when the tree will be taken down. The department is arranging a way to cut off a healthy part of the tree for the town to make into a bench. Read the full story in the Register Star.