Register of Champion Trees
MCFB (The Montgomery County Forestry Board), in keeping with its mission to increase awareness of the value of forest resources conservation, established and maintains this Register. Starting with 42 champion tree species identified in 1990, the Forestry Board has held bi-annual Big Tree Contests throughout the County in its effort to identify new species and new champions for already established species. View current Montgomery County Champion Tree List. You might also be interested in our Champion Trees photo library.
The Montgomery County Forestry Board
The Montgomery County Forestry Board is one of 24 Forestry Boards in the State of Maryland created over fifty years ago to promote conservation of Maryland’s forest resources and to encourage sound forest management practices. MCFB functions include:
- Preparing the detailed application required to earn Montgomery County “TREE CITY USA”designation from the National Arbor Day Foundation.
- Organizing and supplied materials for School Reforestation projects at Forest Oak and Martin Luther King Jr. Middle Schools in Gaithersburg and Poolesville and Montgomery Blair High School, involving over 150 students in the planting and aftercare process.
- Sponsoring County high school students to attend the Statewide “Awareness Week for Forestry and Natural Resource Career” in western Maryland.
- Conducting the bi-annual Champion Tree Contest, published the Register of Champion Trees and distributed copies of it to our local elected officials, schools and libraries.
- Sponsoring a Project Learning Tree teacher education workshop at the Lathrop E. Smith Environmental Education Center.
Board Members
- Jim Coleman, Chairman, Boyds
- Joe Rice, Damascus
- Joe Howard, Silver Spring
- Jay McRoberts, Dickerson
- Linda Pepe, Barnesville
- Jim Benton, Clarksburg
- Steve Mader, Olney
- Pete Stadler, Laytonsville
- Daniel Landry, Ellicot City
- Guy Turenne, Olney
- Carole Bergmann, Clarksburg
- Mark Basciano, Takoma Park
- Jim Coleman, Chairman, Boyds
- Jim Harris, Kensington
- John Sparrow, Poolesville
- Greydon Tolson, Dickerson, Emeritus
- Dave Plummer, DNR Project Forester
- Dominic Quattrocchi, Rockville
- Dave Honchalk, Mt. Airy
Supporters of the publication of this Register of Champion Trees, to whom The Forestry Board extends sincere thanks, include:
- Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission – Natural Resources Division
- City of Rockville Recreation and Parks
- Co-Sponsors of the bi-annual Montgomery County Big Tree Contest including: The Montgomery County Forest Conservancy District Board, The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, and The Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Forestry Division
The Forestry Board extends its thanks to Donna Will of the Lathrop E. Smith Environmental Education Center for the contribution of her outstanding photographs to this publication; to Board Member Dominic Quattrocchi and Linda Pepe for their tireless and conscientious compilations of this Register; and to John Parrish, botanist, Dave Plummer and Joe Howard for their commitment to identifying and measuring our champion trees.
You can nominate a Champion Tree! The Montgomery County Forestry Board solicits nominations for champion trees from April through October in even numbered years. A professional forester measures the nominated tree and new championship certificates are awarded in April of odd numbered years as part of the County’s annual Arbor Day celebration.
If you think you have discovered a tree larger that the one noted or a tree species for which there is no champion, the Forestry Board welcomes your nomination. The nominated tree must have a single trunk for at least four and one-half feet above ground level and a total height of at least fifteen feet. Contact the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Forestry Division to request a nomination form at 301-854-6060.
Date of last update: July 8, 2010
Montgomery County Planning Department