The Big Tree Program has been in place for a number of years; and, the Frederick County Forestry Board has recently decided to act as the official measurer of candidates. There are three National Champion Trees located in Frederick County: the Red or Slippery Elm, the Boxelder, and the Honeylocust trees.
On May 29, 2008, Lynne Marquess of the Frederick County Forestry Board joined two members of the Cecil County Forestry Board - John Bennett, Head of the Maryland Big Tree Program, and Dori Murphy, photographer - and a Board volunteer, Stephanie Demchik. The goal was to locate, measure, and photograph National Champion Big Trees in Frederick County plus one new nominee.
Lynne Marquess and John Leaf measure the circumference of the Frederick County Champion White Oak tree.
Nominate a tree
Do you know of a very large tree in Frederick County and want to nominate as a local champion? The Frederick County Forestry Board has a Maryland Big Tree Nomination form which you can use to nominate a tree for consideration. Click on the thumbnail image below to download the one-page nomination form as a PDF file. The form contains return mailing instructions as well as contact information for answering questions about the program, the form, and the nomination process.
Local champion trees and nominees
The National ChampionRed or Slippery Elm pictured below is located on the grounds of Frederick High School. Recorded measurements are: circumference = 17 ft. 10 inches, height = 95 feet, average crown spread= 95 feet.
Frederick County Forestry Board member Jim Arnold stands near the base of the National Champion Red Elm next to Frederick High School.
The National Champion Honeylocust pictured below is located in Ijamsville and has a circumference of ~ 20 feet (exact measurement not possible due to heavy vine around trunk), height of 96 feet, and average crown spread of 73.25 feet.
The new nominee for National Champion White Ash (pictured below) is a Frederick County Champion White Ash located in Myersville. It has a circumference of 17 feet 5 inches, height of 78 feet, and an average crown spread of 79.5 feet.
Below is a picture of the Frederick County Champion White Oak tree located just west of Middletown on the Bill Wilson property. This tree was recently re-measured by the Frederick County Forestry Board for the Big Tree Pprogram taking dimensions on the tree’s circumference, total height, and crown spread. The sum of these measurements are calculated and judged against other large white oak trees throughout the county, state, and nation. This tree was near the top of the Maryland competition for champion white oak trees.
Frederick County has the two largest eastern cottonwood trees eastern in the state! Shown below is the new Maryland State Champion Eastern Cottonwood, located at Middletown High School and moves the large pecan tree at Pryor's Orchards into second place. To learn more about this local champion see the Gazette.Net article entitled ' Middletown tree towers over others in Maryland '.
The tree shown below is located in Frederick and shares the title of Maryland State Co-Champion Pecan tree with a pecan tree in Anne Arundel County (trees are considered co-champions if they are within 5 points of each other). See the recent article in the Frederick News-Post entitled "Pecan tree ties for biggest in state" for more information about the co-champion pecan tree in Frederick County.
