40 champs among 733 on National Register of Big Trees
Georgia’s national champion Village Sentinel live oak stands alone at the pinnacle of its species in the 2008-2009 National Register of Big Trees after besting a Louisiana co-champ that had reigned since 1976. Georgia has 40 titleholders among the 733 trees crowned as national champions in the 2008-2009 National Register of Big Trees.
The biennial listing of the largest known trees of 826 species is maintained by American Forests, the nation’s oldest conservation group, and sponsored by The Davey Tree Expert Company.
A new rule that trees must be remeasured within 10 years to remain on the list caused the most sweeping changes in the Register’s 68-year history. Eighteen of Georgia’s champs were new this year; nationwide there were 219 new champs and co-champs in 44 states and the District of Columbia. Delaware, Hawaii, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, and Wyoming had no champs at all.
American Forests relies on public participation to find and nominate champion trees; the nominations are then verified by state coordinators and the list updated every two years. Trees receive a point total based on their height, circumference, and ¼ of their crown spread. Trees within 5 points become co-champions.
When the Georgia tree, at the Baptist River retirement community in Waycross, was remeasured, it had grown enough to exceed the 5 points that stood between it and the Seven Sisters live oak in Lewisburg, Louisiana. The live oak is Georgia’s state tree.
Among Georgia’s other notable trees: a 315-point Eastern hemlock in Towns and a 318-point co-champion southern magnolia in Clay County, both new this year; a 493-point southern red oak in Upson; and a 278-point pitch pine in White County.
The biggest of the big trees on this year’s list is again California’s General Sherman giant sequoia in Sequoia National Park—Earth’s largest living thing and a perennial champ since the first Register in 1940. Standing 274 feet tall with a girth of 1,020 inches and a crown spread of 107 feet, it racks up a point total of 1,321.
The smallest big tree is a Geyer willow on Fort Apache Indian Reservation in Arizona, which stands 13 feet tall with a girth of just 10 inches and a crown spread of 14 feet for a total of 27 points. It’s the first time a Geyer willow has ever been nominated to the Register.
Information about all the champions can be found at American Forests’ website, www.americanforests.org. Download interesting trivia about the champs, a description of how to measure a tree, a nomination form for new champs, and e-mailable postcards. You also can check out the list of 189 species that are currently without a national champion.
Plant a Future Champion
Not all trees can hold the “biggest†title for their species but they’re all champs when it comes to helping the environment. Trees—especially big trees—provide more cooling shade and more places for wildlife to perch and nest. They sequester more carbon dioxide, trap more pollutants, and clean more of the air and water. For just $1 each, American Forests’ Global ReLeaf Forests program will plant trees where they’re needed most—in forests damaged by wildfire, weather, and man. Click here to see a list of our 2008 projects.
Grow Your Own Champion
Give your yard the royal touch—plant a tree with champion bloodlines. American Forests’ Historic Tree Nursery sells the progeny of trees connected to famous people, events, and places. Among those trees: the offspring of two Texas state champs—a bur oak and an Eve’s necklace—and a former champion crape myrtle. To see a list of all available trees, visit www.historictrees.org.