The program relies on volunteers to search for, nominate, and verify the measurements of big trees in Virginia. When a big tree is reported to the program, it is entered into the Virginia Big Tree Registry, an official list maintained jointly by the Virginia Forestry Association, the Virginia Department of Forestry, and Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources. The largest of each species appears on the big tree list.
The current Virginia Big Tree Program website contains links to Big Tree News; the Virginia big tree list; National big tree list; directions on how to measure a tree through circumference, height, and crown diameter; how to nominate a big tree; how to identify a tree; a list of tree lifespans; how to protect big trees; and a guide to famous and historic trees.
"Most of Virginia's current champion trees were nominated in the 1970s and have not been verified in years," said Kirwan. In 2002, a survey was conducted, and it estimated that 38 percent of those trees are now dead. The survey also showed many landowners are not aware that they have a champion tree on their property. Directions to trees are so poor that 25 percent simply could not be found.
Big trees are a community treasure. "For example," explained Kirwan, "the new champion redwood nominated by Joe Foreman of Norfolk a year ago scored 270 total points, beating the former three co-champions by more than 45 points. Another tree, a new champion black oak, nominated by Charlie Knoeller, from Westmoreland Coun
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Contact: Jeff Kirwan
jkirwan@vt.edu
540-231-7265
Virginia Tech
18-Dec-2002