FloridaTreeHugger

I found this on American Forest’s web-site. It’s pretty interesting!  : )

Florida ranks second in the nation for most national champion trees within its borders with 86 of the 733 record-holders on the 2008-2009 National Register of Big Trees. Florida slipped from the top spot after more than 90 of its previous title-holders were dropped from the list, the majority of which had died.

The biennial Register, which lists 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 remeasured 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 44 states and the District of Columbia. Arizona topped the list with 94 champs within its borders; Virginia had the most new record-holders, 37.

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.

Florida’s big tree state coordinator, Charlie Marcus, said hurricanes in 2004 and 2005 as well as development caused the demise of many of Florida’s champs. “Champion trees are generally the older trees of the species, and older trees are more prone to mortality, particularly from hurricanes and wind storms,” he said. “Also, quite a few of the trees are native to south Florida and are not necessarily long-lived species.”

Among Florida’s national champions is a shortleaf fig on Lignumvitae Key that in 1986 ranked as the 183rd-biggest tree overall; now, at 511 points, it ranks 31st. Other notable Florida trees: a 485-point Florida strangler fig and 388-point seagrape, both in Dade County; a 257-point West Indies mahogany in Monroe County, and a 356-point Darlington oak in Alachua County.

Florida also claims the national champion for its state tree, a cabbage palmetto in Lafayette 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.

Six states—Delaware, Hawaii, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, and Wyoming—had no champs at all.

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.

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.