2008 State of Maryland Big Tree Summary

The Maryland Association of Forest Conservancy District Boards, and the Cecil Forest Conservancy District Board are pleased to announce the results of the 2008 Maryland Big Tree Program. There were 229 trees measured or re-measured in 2008 in 19 counties. There are 127 trees that were newly nominated and measured, and 102 trees were re-measured. There are currently 1,953 Big Trees on the Maryland Big Tree Register at the end of the 2008 year. The deaths of 38 trees were reported this year.

The Maryland Big Tree Program was first started in 1925, and each year the list is updated to reflect new trees, re-measured trees, and deceased trees. Trees are eligible if their total points are at least 70% of the current State Champion tree in that species. The largest tree in each species is designated the “champion” tree. Trees are designated “co-champions” if they are within 5 points of each other.

There are currently 281 species of trees and shrubs on the Maryland Big Tree Register, reflecting Maryland’s incredible bio-diversity and supporting the nickname of “America in Miniature.” In 2008 only one new species was added to the list, a cockspur hawthorn, Crataegus crus-galli. An example of a Chinese quince, Pseudocydonia sinensis, has been identified in Cecil County, but not yet nominated. There were no species removed from the list.

In 2008, we continued to locate and re-measure our State Champions. Consequently 45 new or existing State champions of our 141 native or naturalized species were measured. Sixteen State Champions remain to be located and re-measured as they have not been re-measured in the past 5 years. There are 11 species for which there are no measurable examples. To qualify, a measurable example must be at least 13 feet tall and have a 9.5 inch circumference.

We do not have an updated list of the non-native species champions. At this time the funding and volunteer base does not exist to locate and re-measure the non-native trees to determine the largest of each species. Also non-native species are much more difficult to identify correctly. Non-native species are eligible to be nominated, measured and registered, but we do not attempt to identify the State Champion for each species, or to certify that the species is correctly identified.

In 2008, we were notified that 18 of the 20 trees we submitted were judged to be National Champion Trees, the largest of the species in the United States. For such a small state in area, we were very pleased to have that many National Champion Trees. Unfortunately one of those trees, the Atlantic white cedar, was misidentified, and therefore is not a National Champion.

Tragedy befell two of our special trees. In March, a severe straight line wind storm hit part of Carroll County and removed the top 16 feet of the Little Pipe Creek Sycamore. At the time, it was tied for the title of “Maryland’s Biggest Tree.” The tree itself survived, and is beginning to grow some new top branches, but lost its biggest tree designation. In June, a worse loss occurred when “Flora’s Oak”, the State Champion White Oak in Montgomery County, was blown over in another severe wind storm. A slightly smaller white oak in Anne Arundel County was then designated the new State Champion White Oak.

General information about the Maryland Big Tree Program is available at www.cecilfb.sailorsite.net, including a downloadable Big Tree Nomination Form. For a downloadable Excel file on the native or naturalized Maryland Big Tree Champions, contact John Bennett at www.mdbigtreeprogram@aol.com. Most trees are located on private land, and therefore not available to visit. Specific locations of these trees cannot be released to the public.