2020 Maryland Big Tree Program Report

 

SUMMARY

 

In 2020, the MBTP volunteers measured, re-measured, or deleted 344 trees.  There were 187 trees newly measured, 109 trees were re-measured, and 48 deceased.  We were unable to obtain permission forms to re-measure 54 trees and they will be moved to the “Inactive” file.  There are currently 2368 active trees (measured in the last 10 years) on the Maryland database, 579 deceased trees & 679 inactive trees (trees not re-measured in the last 10 years for various reasons).   We were not able to re-measure two trees for which we have permission, and they will be carried over to 2021.  It is the goal of the MBTP to measure/re-measure/delete 200 of the registered trees each year.

 

As in previous years, the MBTP was funded by grants from the Maryland Urban and Community Forestry Committee, the Anne Arundel County Forestry Board, and several other MD Forestry Boards that provided reimbursement to their members, or in-kind donations.

 

The web site, www.mdbigtrees.com, continues to be an important source of new big tree referrals, with most of the new trees being referred automatically from the web site nomination form.  The designer of this web site went out of business in 2014, but we were extremely fortunate that a volunteer was able to lease a new hosting site and migrate the web site to this new site.  In 2017 a campaign was started to raise funds for a new website and Ken McCathran volunteered to prepare the specifications for the solicitation of bids.  Bids for a new web site were cost prohibitive.  Ken once again volunteered his time to research and develop a new site using a combination of platforms Wix and Airtable.  The data from current website has been moved to the new site and loading the pictures is in progress.  With assistance from Dawn Balinski, the licenses for both platforms were obtained with substantial discounts.  The new site is expected to be deployed in late January 2021.

 

Beginning in 2010, the MBTP was managed by the Cecil County Forestry Board, until 2016, when a new State-wide committee was formed from members of the Forestry Boards Association.  In May the Committee voted to accept Jim Sherring as a committee member, and in December we regretfully accepted the resignation of Celeste Maiorana.  Celeste will continue to volunteer to measure trees.  Doug Inkley volunteered and was approved to become a new member of the Committee, providing a needed representative from western Maryland.

 

The Committee met on December 15, 2020, and discussed the recruitment of volunteers, the purchase of measuring equipment, the status of the new website, and adding an online process for accepting donations.

 

Seven State Champion trees died in 2020; one native species, and six non-native species:

 

Black Oak                                           Montgomery County                          382 points - native     

Japanese Chestnut                              Baltimore County                               259 points – non-native

White Poplar                                       Montgomery County                          221 points – non-native

Mimosa                                               Carroll County                                    218 points – non-native

Paper Mulberry                                   Baltimore City                                    192 points – non-native

Weeping Japanese Scholar Tree         Baltimore County                               100 points – non-native

European Mountain Ash                     Montgomery County                            92 points – non-native

                       

Seven newly measured trees were crowned State Champions in 2020.  These are newly discovered; not re-measured trees, nor 2nd place trees elevated after the loss of the previous champion:

 

Dawn Redwood                                  Baltimore County                               342 points – non-native

Scarlet Oak                                         Anne Arundel County                        330 points – native

Pignut Hickory (co-champ)                 Cecil County                                       269 points – native

Deodar Cedar                                      Montgomery County                          247 points – non-native

Saucer Magnolia                                 Carroll County                                    205 points – non-native

Paper Mulberry                                   Anne Arundel County                        195 points – non-native

Devil’s Walking Stick                        Baltimore County                                 65 points - native                             

 

An item of good news is that the white oak in Kent County which had been moved to “Inactive” status in 2019, was reinstated after we were able to contact the owner and get permission to re-measure.  The tree was measured in late November – points increased from 381 to 384.  Increase would have been greater but for a loss in height, probably due to inaccurate measurement in 2009.

 

VOLUNTEERS – We are very fortunate to have an active group of volunteers.  This year we were able to add two new volunteers to that group.  Geary is based in Carroll County; he discovered the new State Champion saucer magnolia listed above.  He has also been part of the team that measured the new State Champion dawn redwood.  Matt became a new volunteer in the fall of 2020.  His area of concentration has been the C & O Canal towpath in Allegany County.  Finally Vince has nominated a number of new trees in Montgomery County, including the new State Champion deodar cedar  

           

There were 9 media accounts regarding Maryland Big Trees in 2020:

 

·         Chesapeake Bay Magazine:  https://chesapeakebaymagazine.com/trunk-show/

·         WDVM – Article & Video:  https://www.localdvm.com/news/maryland/frederick-forestry-board-adds-14-new-trees-to-tree-walk-series/

·         WTOP – Article (content similar to above):  https://wtop.com/garden-plot/2020/04/garden-plot-take-a-tree-walk-break-while-social-distancing/

·         Dickeyville (Neighborhood Newsletter):  http://dickeyville.org/2020/05/11/champion-city-tree-recognized-on-pickwick/

·         North Chevy Chase (Newsletter):  https://www.northchevychase.org/2020/10/16/village-champion-tree-walk/

·         Benedictine School (undated, but believed to be 2020-11-16): https://benschool.org/rooted-in-history/

·         Nursery in Oregon, but it links to Am. Forests’ champion tree pages, including MBTP’s Kentucky coffee tree and Am. Elm:  https://www.jfschmidt.com/emailtemplate/sa101420/index.html

·         Mention of champion Fringe Tree on WSSC web page:  https://www.wsscwater.com/azaleas

 

COMMITTEE

 

As of December 31, 2020, the Committee includes the following members:

 

·         John Bennett, Chair

·         Joli McCathran, Vice-Chair

·         Dawn Balinski

·         Jim Bardsley

·         Linda Barker

·         Anne Gilbert – DNR Liaison

·         Doug Inkley

·         Kathie Jarmon

·         Dori Murphy

·         Jim Sherring