The Illinois Big Tree Register
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Technical Forestry Bulletin · NRES-1101 The Illinois Big Tree Register The Complete List of Native Champion Trees by Jay C. Hayek and Julia R. Allison Updated May 2020 History of the Illinois Big Tree Register National Register of Champion Trees The Illinois Big Tree Register (IBTR) was established in 1962 American Forests® established the first National Register of as a citizen outreach program in order to discover, record, Champion Trees back in 1941. The National Register of Cham- recognize, and appreciate the largest native tree species here pion Trees formally recognizes the largest tree species indige- in the Prairie State. For 58 years, the IBTR has spawned a gen- nous to the United States. There are 676 trees recognized as eration of big tree hunters and big tree aficionados who relish national champions and Illinois is currently home to two na- the opportunity and bask in the glory of finding and nomi- tional champion trees: nating the next Illinois champion tree! https://www.americanforests.org/get-involved/americas-biggest- The Univ. of Illinois Extension Forestry program would like trees/champion-trees-national-register/ to encourage every citizen of this great state to search our forests, parks, and front yards for future champion trees. We hope that in searching for these trees, citizens will become Table 1. National champion trees located in Illinois. more aware of the vital importance of Illinois’ rural and com- IL National Champion Trees munity forest resource. Species County Ohio buckeye (Aesculus glabra) DuPage Shumard oak (Quercus shumardii) Union The 10-year Remeasurement Rule All big tree champions and co-champions must be reinspect- ed, remeasured, and recertified every 10 years in order to maintain their “champion” status on both the Illinois Big Tree Register and, if applicable, the National Register of Big Trees. It is the sole responsibility of the original big tree nominators and big tree owners to ensure compliance with the 10-year remeasurement rule. Former champion trees, or recently retired champion trees, may be renominated to the IBTR, but only after they have been reinspected, remeasured, photographed, and georeferenced using GPS coordinates. National champion Shumard oak (Quercus shumardii) located on private property in Union Co., IL. University of Illinois • Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences • Extension Forestry NRES-1101 U of I Extension | Technical Forestry Bulletin IL Big Tree Nomination Batching Period Eligible Tree Species Big tree nominations may be submitted to the Illinois Big The IBTR only recognizes the 183± native tree species Tree Register throughout the calendar year. However, nomi- found in Illinois. Naturalized species, minor varieties, hybrids, nations for inclusion to the IBTR are reviewed and processed and non-native species are not eligible for the IBTR. Please semiannually. The crowning of new big tree champions and refer to University of Illinois Extension Technical Forestry Bul- co-champions, and the dethroning of current big tree champi- letin NRES-102 for a detailed list of eligible tree species. ons, is conducted twice a year: February and August. Nominations Due IBTR Publication Date Scoring Big Tree Nominations by August 1 following February by February 1 following August The “biggest” tree of each native species is determined utilizing a point system devised by American Forests®. Scor- Therefore, nominations slated for February publication ing, or total points, is based on the sum of three required tree must be received by August 1 of the previous calendar year. measurements: circumference, height, and average crown Similarly, nominations slated for August publication must be spread. received by February 1 of the current calendar year. Total Points = Circumference (in.) + Height (ft) + ¼ Ave. Crown Spread (ft) Definition of a Tree Only the largest nomination (total points) for each native tree species can wear the crown of “champion.” However, A tree is a woody perennial plant with a minimum stem certified nominations that fall within 3% or 3 points of the circumference of at least 9.5 inches measured at a point 4.5 current champion tree will be listed and crowned as a co- feet above ground level; has a well-defined crown of foliage; champion. Similar to crowning the champion, only one co- and a total vertical height of at least 13 feet (Little 1979). champion per species will be formally recognized. Champion big tree certificates are awarded to both the Viewing Big Trees: Please Respect Private Property nominator and the owner of champion and co-champion trees. Please refer to University of Illinois Extension Technical Many of our state champion trees are located on private Forestry Bulletin NRES-1102 for detailed information about property. Therefore, please DO NOT enter onto private prop- the IBTR nomination process. erty without the expressed consent of the homeowner or Table 2. The largest state champion trees by point total. landowner. The University of Illinois does not assume any liability for individuals trespassing on private property. Top 10 Illinois Champion Trees Rank Species Points Interested in Becoming a Volunteer Big Tree Inspector? 1 e.cottonwood (Populus deltoides) 491 2 baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) 487 Do you have a knack for tree identification? Are you profi- cient with using a GPS? Are you capable of taking precise 3 Shumard oak (Quercus shumardii) 448 tree measurements (circumference, height, and crown 4 cherrybark oak (Q. pagoda) 438 width)? Please contact us if you answered “yes” to any of the 5 sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) 418 aforementioned questions as we are always looking to ex- pand our cadre of volunteer big tree inspectors...it’s a lot of 6 bur oak (Q. macrocarpa) 397 fun and super exciting! 7 bur oak (Q. macrocarpa) 393 8 water tupelo (Nyssa aquatica) 387 9 black oak (Q. velutina) 366 10 pecan (Carya illinoinensis) 360 Illinois Big Tree Register Series page. 2 U of I Extension | Technical Forestry Bulletin NRES-1101 Table 3. Partial listing of Illinois native tree species without a champion. Please refer to Technical Forestry Bulletin NRES-102, Checklist of Illinois Native Trees, for a complete list of eligible tree species. Species / Common Name Species / Common Name Species / Common Name Species / Common Name Acer floridanum Cornus racemosa Ilex decidua Quercus falcata Florida maple; so. sugar maple gray dogwood possumhaw; swamp holly southern red oak Acer nigrum Cornus rugosa Larix laricina Rhus copallinum black maple roundleaf dogwood tamarack; eastern larch winged sumac; shining sumac Acer rubrum var. drummondii Cornus sericea Malus ioensis Rhus glabra Drummond red maple red-osier dogwood prairie crabapple smooth sumac Amelanchier arborea Crataegus crus-galli Pinus banksiana Robinia pseudoacacia downy serviceberry cockspur hawthorn jack pine black locust Amelanchier laevis Crataegus mollis Pinus echinata Salix amygdaloides Allegheny serviceberry downy hawthorn; redhaw shortleaf pine peachleaf willow Betula papyrifera Crataegus phaenopyrum Pinus resinosa Salix nigra paper birch Washington hawthorn red pine black willow Carpinus caroliniana Crataegus viridis Populus balsamifera Tilia americana var. heterophylla Am. hornbeam; musclewood green hawthorn balsam poplar white basswood Carya ovalis Euonymus atropurpurea Populus heterophylla Ulmus thomassi red hickory eastern wahoo swamp cottonwood rock elm Carya texana Forestiera acuminata Populus tremuloides Viburnum lentago black hickory swamp-privet quaking aspen nannyberry Carya tomentosa Fraxinus pennsylvatica Prunus pennsylvanica Viburnum prunifolium mockernut hickory green ash pin cherry blackhaw Cornus alternifolia Fraxinus profunda Prunus virginiana alternate-leaf dogwood pumpkin ash chokecherry Cornus drummondii Gleditsia aquatica Quercus ellipsoidalis roughleaf dogwood waterlocust northern pin oak; Hills oak Illinois Big Tree Register Series page. 3 NRES-1101 U of I Extension | Technical Forestry Bulletin Illinois Big Tree Register Series page. 4 U of I Extension | Technical Forestry Bulletin NRES-1101 Year Listed / DBH Circ. Height Spread Total National Species / Common Name County Location Nominator(s) Last Measured (in.) (ft) (ft) (ft) Points Champion Acer negundo Priv. Residence: Medinah, IL DuPage Brandon Dobnick 2013 44.6 11.6 60 82 221 ☐ boxelder GPS: 41.982023° -88.042950° Acer rubrum Hessel Park: Champaign, IL Champaign Jay Hayek 2020 44.6 11.67 77† 78 236.5 ☐ red maple GPS: 40.100963° -88.250207° Acer saccharinum Creek Bend Nature Center Naturalist staff, Kane Forest Preserve District 2014 40.9 10.7 85 83 234 ☐ silver maple GPS: 41.928° -88.352° of Kane County Acer saccharum Priv. Property: Buncombe, IL Johnson Larry P. Mahan 2013 54.5 14.3 80 85 272 ☐ sugar maple GPS: 37.51038° -89.02976° Aesculus flava Hessel Park: Champaign, IL Champaign Illini Foresters 2014 30.2 7.9 61† 37 166 ☐ yellow buckeye GPS: 40.101059° -88.249936° Aesculus glabra Hyatt Lodge- McDonald’s Campus: Oak Brook, IL E. Sagan, R. Lane, T.L. † DuPage Green 1999 / 2013 57.9 15.2 75 71 275 Ohio buckeye GPS: 41.836364° -87.946587° Aesculus pavia Spring Hill Cemetery: Danville, IL Vermilion Steven Lane 2013 14.0 3.67 29 28 80 ☐ red buckeye GPS: 40.14785° -87.6259° Asimina triloba Springfield Park District J. Homoya, B. Homoya, Sangamon 2016 7.6 2.0 45 25 75 ☐ pawpaw GPS: 39.868897° -89.625323° R. Bybee, and D. Bybee Betula alleghaniensis Stephenson Co. Historical Soci- Stephenson ety: Freeport, IL P. Hallerberg 1983 / 2013 25.0 6.5 63 58 156 ☐ yellow birch GPS: 42.28475° -89.615505° Betula nigra [co-champion] Private Res.: Murphysboro, IL Jackson Ryan W. Cathelyn 2008 / 2013 37.5 9.8 72 70 207 ☐ river birch GPS: 37.75592° -89.353° Betula nigra [co-champion] Private Res.: Cambridge, IL Henry James R. Ream 2013 38.9 10.2 61† 84 204 ☐ river birch GPS: 41.305262° -90.189858° Carya aquatica Cache River State Nat. Area (IDNR) Massac Larry Mahan 2015 32.5 8.5 108 84 231 ☐ water hickory GPS: 37.334266° -88.890102° Carya cordiformis Private Property: Cisco, IL J. Hayek, M. Wimpy, Piatt 2019 38.0 9.94 86† 80 225 ☐ bitternut hickory GPS: 40.0114° –88.7262° and C.