4 Top Of Record Western Red Cedar

Difficult to photograph in a dark forest with bright sky above, you can still see the scattering of branches at the top of this tree. As long as this tree can maintain green branches, it will continue to hold its record. Someday, perhaps not too far in the future, this tree will die, be blown down or perhaps be burned in a fire. At that time another Western Red Cedar will take over as record holder. Foresters search for these record trees and score them according to a specific formula that gives points for height, circumference and spread of crown. This formula, Trunk Circumference (inches) + Height (feet) + ¼ Average Crown Spread (feet) = Total Points, yields a point score that determines the record tree which is also known as a champion tree. Each species has a champion tree. Even small trees such as the American Redbud tree has a champion tree somewhere. Three may be champion trees in your neighborhood. You can learn more about champion trees designated by the American Forestry Association at the American Forests website.