2011 Big Tree Report
Maryland Big Tree Program Report
In 2011, the MBTP volunteers measured, re-measured, or deleted 230 trees. There were 120 new trees added to the Register, 66 trees re-measured and 44 trees were reported deceased. There are currently 2325 registered trees on the Maryland database. It is the goal of the MBTP to measure/re-measure/delete 200 of the registered trees each year.
Highlights
In 2011, Dan Wilson, a new volunteer, stepped forward and has had a major impact on the MBTP, especially in Harford County. He has measured either by himself, or with a partner, 33 new trees. Eleven of these trees have become new State Champions, sixteen additional have become Harford County Champions, and one is a new Baltimore County Champion. Five State Champion trees have died this year:
White oak tree
Eastern cottonwood, Hager Park
Chinkapin oak, near Wiliamsport
Yellow Poplar, near Hagerstown
The International Year of the Forest Geocaching Program has been very successful. Information about this program, photos of the visitors to the Maryland State Champion Calvert White Oak in Cecil County, and comments from the visitors can be found at: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=c30ec022-8334-4a1f-837f-08bea856cbce.
The MBTP generated nineteen media articles/publications in 2011:
Casting a broad shadow: Braddock Height’s white oak makes state registry.
MD’s biggest tree dethroned by mother nature.
Forest Files: Discovering big trees in Maryland.
State champion tree found in Rocks State Park.
[Baltimore] Zoo shows off its champion tree.
Jug Bay pumpkin ash first of its kind to qualify for the big tree program.
Pumpkin ash, first in Anne Arundel, now State champ.
Local family’s history is at the root of Willow Grove.
Magnolia tree becomes the largest 1 in the state.
Gust topples 89-foot Nordman fir, a state champion for 38 years.
The State Champion Tree of Heaven/Ailanthus in Montgomery County at 277 points was identified as a Chinese Toon Tree (Cedrela sinesis). The new State Champion is in Harford County.
Notable county champion trees that died in 2011 include the Caroline County Champion Silver Maple (305 points), the Prince George’s County Champion Post Oak (253 points), and the Montgomery County Sugar Maple (295 points). The silver maple was Caroline County’s Biggest Tree; the post oak was the Maryland State Champion in the 1990 edition of “The Big Tree Champions of Maryland, and co-champion in the 2003 edition. All appear to be victims of Hurricane Irene.
Five new species were added to the MD list:
Pumpkin Ash – native to MD, naturally occurring grove found in Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary, Anne Arundel Co.
Elliotta/Georgia Plume – native only to Georgia and South Carolina, planted example in Harford Co.
Slippery Elm – native to MD, naturally occurring grove found in Gunpowder St. Park, Harford Co.
Shrub Althea – eligible non-native naturalizing small tree, planted in St. Mary’s County.
White Willow – native to MD, single example found in a back yard of a landowner in Calvert County.
Russian-olive was deleted from the MD list as the only known example has died.
Sycamore, near Hagerstown
Hackberry, near Clear Spring
Mockernut Hickory, Prince George’s County, 302 points
European Larch, Baltimore County, 217 points
Nordman Fir, Talbot County, 214 points
Pitch Pine, Montgomery County, 185 points
Russian-olive, Montgomery County, 100 points
The Mockernut Hickory was the former National Champion
The Maryland State Champion and “Maryland’s Biggest Tree” Silver Maple in Cecil County was severely damaged by a wind storm in late October. The bigger of the two leaders broke off just above the fork, and exposed the center of the base, which is rotten. The tree remains alive, but dropped from 479 points to 440 points. It continues to be the State Champion silver maple, but “Maryland’s Biggest Tree” title passes to two sycamores, one in Montgomery County at 470 points, and one in Frederick County at 468 points.
White oak, near Clear Spring
