Champion Trees of Montgomery County

What is a Champion Tree?
Champion Trees are the largest known trees of a given species located in a geographic area, such as the champion English elm, or "Goshen Elm" in Gaithersburg.  Montgomery County Forest Conservancy District Board has kept a list of Champion Trees in the county since 1989. The Champion Tree Register is published biannually.

View the 2009 Champion Tree Register (pdf)

Watch a video about Champion Trees in Montgomery County produced by the Gazette Newspaper

Champion Tree Measurement Formula
The official Champion Tree Measurement Formula was developed by Fred Besley, Maryland’s first State Forester, and with some modifications was later adopted nation-wide.  Mr. Besley began keeping records of “notable trees” in Maryland in 1925.

Circumference (in inches) + height (in feet) + 1/4 of the average crown spread in feet = Total Points 

The tree’s circumference is usually measured 4.5' from the ground at the base of the trunk except if the tree forks below 4.5'.  The crown spread is the average of two branchtip to branchtip measurements taken at 90 degrees of each other.

You Can Nominate A Tree
The official Champion Tree Register is published biannually. Nominations are accepted at any time and are encouraged. To nominate a big tree in Montgomery County, call 301-854-6060 to request a nomination form or retrieve the form online at http://www.mcmdforestryboard.org