733 Trees Reign as Nation’s Biggest
New rule causes most changes in American Forests’ ‘National Register of
Big Trees 68-year history

 A 240-foot-tall ponderosa pine, an Ohio buckeye at McDonald’s Hamburger U, and a sycamore with a girth of more than 35 feet are 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 this year that trees have to be re-measured within 10 years to remain on the list caused the most sweeping changes in the Register’s 68-year history. A total of 219 new champs and co-champs were crowned in forty-four states and the District of Columbia. 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.

Topping the list is Sequoia National Park’s “General Sherman” giant sequoia (pictured above - photo by Davey Tree Expert Company) — 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 (see pictured – photo by David Thornburg)), 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.

This year Arizona beat out Florida for having the most champs within its borders—94. Virginia had 37 new champs, more than any other state. And Delaware, Hawaii, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, and Wyoming had no champs at all. Among the notable changes this year: The Seven Sisters Live Oak in Louisiana, a champion since 1976, was dethroned after its co-champ in Georgia was found to be more than 5 points larger. Severe weather toppled two massive trees—the 856-point “Klootchy Creek Giant” Sitka spruce in Oregon and a 563-point eastern cottonwood in Nebraska.

A new sweetgum champ was crowned in South Carolina after a fierce battle between 10 states to take the title. And Ohio lost the title to its state tree—the Ohio buckeye—to Illinois, whose new national champ stands at McDonald’s corporate headquarters, Hamburger U.

Big Facts About Big Trees in the Southwest US
From American Forests’ 2008-2009 National Register of Big Trees

Biggest champ overall: Giant Sequoia “General Sherman” (1,321 points), Sequoia National Park, CA

Smallest champ overall: Geyer Willow (27 points), Fort Apache Indian Reservation, AZ

Smallest new champ: Geyer Willow (27 points), Fort Apache Indian Reservation, AZ

Biggest new conifer: 548-point Ponderosa Pine from Trinity, CA

Biggest circumference on a new champ: Northern California Walnut (444 inches), El Dorado, CA

Tallest new champ: Ponderosa Pine (240 feet), Trinity, CA

States with the most champs: Arizona (94), Florida (86), California (82), Texas (72), and Virginia (56)

Remaining (Original) Champs form the Class of 1940:

Giant Sequoia (“General Sherman”), Sequoia National Park, CA

Rocky Mountain Juniper (“Jardine Juniper”), Cache National Forest, UT

Western Juniper (“Bennett Juniper”), Stanislaus National Forest, CA

For more about American Forests and to listen to SouthwestBlend.com’s radio interview with American Forests Executive Director, Deborah Gangloff - Click Here. 
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. American Forests’ mission is to grow a healthier world with trees by working with communities on local efforts that restore and maintain forest ecosystems. Our work encompasses planting trees, calculating the value of urban forests, fostering environmental education, and improving public policy for trees at the national level. We have a goal of 100 million trees planted by 2020.