Maryland Big Tree Program 2012
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Summary In 2012, Maryland Big Tree Program volunteers measured, re-measured, or deleted 205 trees from the Maryland Big Tree Program Register. This included 157 trees which were added, 22 trees re-measured, and 27 trees reported deceased. There are currently 2,479 registered trees on the Maryland database. It is the goal of the MBTP to update 200 of the registered trees each year, either by measuring, remeasuring, or deleting them from the Register.
Highlights Four new county big tree coordinators volunteered their services in 2012. They are: Shirley Bailey, in Dorchester County; Gracie Brady, in St. Mary’s County; Ted Cooper, in Howard County; and Michelle Donahue, in Frederick County. We are very appreciative of their help in their respective counties. On April 24th, the Montgomery County Forestry Board presented a proclamation to the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, signed by Governor Martin O’Malley, to recognize the Dickerson Park American sycamore as “Maryland’s Biggest Tree”, replacing the Eder Park Silver Maple. It was remeasured at 479 points. On September 26, 2012, the MBTP established a new website, www.mdbigtrees.com. This site is designed by Dan Lievans, approved by the Maryland Association of Forest Conservancy District Boards, and funded with money from the Mel Noland Memorial Fund. The main purpose of the site is to provide the citizens of Maryland a place to look at Maryland’s wonderful collection of big trees, and to locate trees to visit. Trees marked with 2 stars (**) are accessible to the public.
New Species Five new species were added to the Maryland list: • Swamp bay, Persea palustris Found growing naturally in the swamps in Worcester County • Grey birch, Betula populifolia Not native to Maryland, a 46-year-old planted example in Harford County • Washington hawthorn, Cratagus phaenopyrum
Maryland Big Tree Program 2012
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Native to most areas of Maryland, planted in Harford County • Yellow birch, Betula alleghaniensis Found growing naturally in a grove in Harford County • Coast redwood, Sequoia simpervirens Not native to Maryland, a 23-year-old example planted in Queen Anne’s County
New State Champions Eleven new State Champions were crowned in 2012. These were new trees discovered that exceeded the points value of the current champion, not trees that replaced dead champions. • Southern red oak, Quercus falcata, 414 points St. Mary’s County, Gracie Brady • Chinkapin oak, Quercus muehlenbergii, 294 points Washington County, Celeste Maiorana (co-champ) • Royal paulownia, Paulownia tomentosa, 274 points Montgomery County, Joe Howard/Joli McCathran • Eastern white pine, Pinus strobus, 273 points Baltimore County, Dan Wilson (co-champ) • Sweet birch, Betula lenta, 247 points Harford County, Dan Wilson (co-champ) • Blue spruce, Picea pungens, 183 points Howard County, Ted Cooper • Eastern hophornbeam, Ostrya virginiana, 109 points Harford County, Dan Wilson (co-champ) • Striped maple, Acer pensylvanicum, 82 points Baltimore City, Dan Wilson • Rose-of-Sharon, Hibiscus syriaicus, 53 points Baltimore County, D. Murphy, K. Jarmon, J. Bennett • Staghorn sumac, Rhus typhina, 53 points Harford County, Dan Wilson (co-champ) • Devil’s Walkingstick, Aralia spinosa, 29 points Harford County, Dan Wilson
Maryland Big Tree Program 2012
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Losses Eight State Champion trees have died this year: • American basswood, Charles County, 401 points • Kentucky coffeetree, Montgomery County, 367 points • Pin oak, Charles County, 350 points • Boxelder, Frederick County, 246 points • Sugar maple, Harford County, 311 points • Silktree/Mimosa, Baltimore County, 225 points • Common Pear, Calvert County, 191 points • Table Mountain Pine, Harford County, 151 points The American basswood, Kentucky coffeetree, and Boxelder were also United States Champions. One of Maryland’s Bicentennial Trees identified as being alive in 1776 has died. It was the black oak at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Phoenix, Baltimore County. It was a victim of superstorm Sandy. Notable county champion trees that died in 2011 include the Baltimore City Champions American beech (331 pts.), willow oak (322), and swamp white oak (317), the Cecil County Champion northern red oak at St. Mary Anne’s Episcopal Church (306), the Montgomery County Champion European linden at Woodlawn Mansion (302), the Calvert County Champion boxelder (279), the Baltimore County Champion post oak at UMBC (252), the Harford County boxelder (252), and the Calvert County persimmon at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum (148).
Geocaching The International Year of the Forest Geocaching Program continued in 2012. 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 this link.
Maryland Big Tree Program 2012
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Articles & Publications: New Tree Species Found in Worcester The Dispatch, February 3, 2012
Cecil Mockernut is New State Champ Cecil Daily, February 6, 2012
New Tree Species Identified in Pocomoke State Forest DNR press pelease, February 16, 2012
New State Champion Tree Discovered In Gunpowder Falls State Park DNR press release, February 16, 2012
Four Harford County Big Trees Become Maryland State Champions The Dagger Press, February 16, 2012
A New Champion Grows in Baltimore The Baltimore Sun, March 14, 2012
Travilah Oak
Wikipedia entry; New measurements added March 27, 2012
Maryland Big Tree Program First to Record Large Example of Yellow Birch DNR press release, April 5, 2012
Maryland Big Tree Program Adds First Yellow Birch to Record Book The Dagger Press, April 6, 2012
Royal Paulownia Tree at Bohrer Park Named Maryland State Champion Gaithersburg municipal press release, May 18, 2012
Gaithersburg Tree Biggest of its Kind in State The Maryland Gazette, May 30, 2012
Maryland Big Tree Program 2012
Historic Perryville Home Dwarfed by Neighboring Giants Cecil Daily, July 7, 2012
Derecho Fells State Champion Pin Oak Tree Southern Maryland Newspapers, August 1, 2012
Large White Oaks Sought
The Star Democrat, September 4, 2012
Prince George’s Champion Trees Meet their Match as Storms Hit Area The Maryland Gazette, October 30, 2012
Big Red, Little Red
Cecil Guardian, November 8, 2012 (Print Only)
Baltimore’s champion beech felled by age The Baltimore Sun, November 13, 2012
Maryland Loses Bicentennial Tree
DNR press release, November 29, 2012
Trinity Cathedral registers trees with DNR The Star Democrat, December 3, 2012
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