America's Big Trees

American Forests, founded in 1875, is the oldest national nonprofit conservation organization in the United States. American Forests publishes American Forests magazine quarterly but is also known for promoting the National Register of Big Trees.  The Davey Tree Expert Company sponsors the program.

 An impressive 825 national champion trees are listed in American Forests’ 1998-99 National Register of Big Trees. They are found in national forests, parks, private forests and backyards in nearly every state across America. There is a big Western advantage when you look at the top 25 list.  However, the region with the most new champs, according to the latest report, is the Southeast (49). States with the most new champs are Arizona (30), Florida (20), and California (17).   

 AF has been keeping the Register since 1940 when a forester named Joseph Stearns promoted the cause: "Let every tree lover, every forester, every lumberman rally ... to fight for the preservation of our biggest tree specimens." Since then, the Register has become an institution with big tree coordinators in all 50 states and a core of "big tree hunters" always on the lookout for new champion trees.

Most states have Big tree or Champion Tree programs (see Oregon) and publish their own lists (I nominated the largest Alabama  champion black willow and it stands today). "The competition among states and big tree hunters often is fierce" according to AF. "Especially when the title for an official State Tree is held by a different state."  These "hunters" are out to dethrone the National trees of record with their own nominations.  They even remeasure existing ones to challenge any errors that might have been made.

 Eligible trees must be native or naturalized in the continental United States (including Alaska, but not Hawaii). They are listed in Check List of  Native & Naturalized Trees of the United States, written by Dr. Elbert L. Little, Jr., former chief dendrologist of the U.S. Forest Service (see my review on his excellent tree id book).

The trees are measured mostly by foresters, rangers, or big tree hunters who submit nominations to American Forests or the state big tree coordinators. A free brochure with rules for measuring and nominating trees is available from American Forests or through your state forester. 

The hunt is never over because national champs only are the biggest known so far. Every year new champions are crowned and others dethroned. Since the last Register, 27 former champs died of natural causes, such as winds storms, lightning, fire and disease.

An American Forests press release says "Nine were dethroned because their measurements had been taken incorrectly. The fallen champion American elm in Kansas was firebombed. One new champion, the "Lang" coast live oak in Encino, California, was dethroned just as the new Register went to press. It was toppled in a rainstorm spawned by El Niño."

More stuff on big trees....

The Top 25 Big Trees

Big Tree Facts

New and Fallen Champs

Big Tree Quiz

 More stuff on identifying trees....

Identifying American hardwoods

Identifying American conifers

Tree ID from About.com