Oldest
Sequoia
Yosemite, California
PHOTO Fred Breglia 2003
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Champion Trees
Preserving Our Finest Trees
A
Champion Tree is the most exemplary specimen of its species—the best representative of its family. However, "best" can refer to many different qualities that are significant to different people and interest groups: size, height, age, growth rate, hardiness, disease resistance, color, fall color, form, flowering, fragrance, fruit yield and flavor, and much more. According to the current national definition used by american Forest, best means biggest, as measured by three dimensions: girth, height, crown spread.
A Champion Tree is also
the eldest. Many were here
before Columbus discovered America.
Some survived hidden in
national forests and
ancient old-growth forests. Others grow in public places, such as
roadsides,
front yards,
golf courses, and
university campuses. A few grow in
private yards,
urban open spaces and
farm fields. One—the
Bristlecone Pine in southern California—grew here when Jesus walked in Jerusalem.
These great green giants had the genetic wisdom and good luck to survive and thrive through recent centuries of industrialization,
development,
deforestation, devastation,
windstorms, and
hurricanes. They are the
hardiest,
sturdiest,
most resistant, best bred, best fed, and luckiest of their family and species. They are the
gold medallists among their kind.
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Colonial Champion
Washington Sycamores
"The largest trees known in America were the Washington Sycamores on Three Brother Island.
"When George Washington visited Ohio Valley in 1771, he was amazed at their size, and estimated in his diary one was 61 feet in circumference." |
page 20 of West Virginia
Guide to the Mountain State
©1941 Oxford University Press
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National Champion
Green Ash
Elk Rapids, Michigan
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girth: 21.5 feet — height: 95 feet
crown spread: 95 feet
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These majestic specimens are rare, unique and precious natural resources. At the very least, a magnificent Champion Tree inspires awe. And they may just be essential to the health of Earth's ecosystems, the biodiversity of all species, and invaluable to the well-being of future generations of humans. In the new millennium's confrontation with
global warming and
climate change, trees are among
our best, most essential allies to assure a healthy and habitable planet for future generations.
Yet, we are losing these great green giant beings. As many as a dozen a year succumb to
wind,
fire,
development, pollution, insects,
disease, chainsaws, vandalism, and other calamities. These irreplaceable natural resources are vanishing: today's champions are smaller than those of earlier centuries.
Home |
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Links
TERRA:
The
Earth
Restoration and
Reforestation
Alliance —
www.championtrees.org —
updated 10/14/2003
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