# Champion tree?



## sandcountry (Oct 21, 2009)

I am cataloging large tree's on my property in douglas county. I was wondering if I could recevie some feedback on what you would consider the appropriate size for a specie in order to be called a "trophy" and be deserving of recognizing.

What circumference for
Red Pine 80 inches?
White Pine 90 inches
Scotch Pine 80 inches.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated


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## John Paul Sanborn (Oct 22, 2009)

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=38474

Read this thread and see if you have any more questions. WI uses the most common champion formula.


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## sandcountry (Oct 23, 2009)

*Big Pines*

Thanks for the reply. I know how to measure a champion tree. I was simply asking if you were attaching a number marker to a big pine tree for future generations to note. what size of tree in circumference would you conside worthy of noting. ie is an 80 inch circumference red pine somehting that you would tag so that your family could observe and measure through the years. Or would it take a larger cuircumfence, for you to take note of the tree.

I guess its like asking what size pine in sand country would make you go ooooo! We have white, red, jack and scotch.


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## John Paul Sanborn (Oct 24, 2009)

C is the variable with the heaviest weight. 

You could download the WI champion tree DB. I guess we can no longer see the excel form.

http://dnr.wi.gov/forestry/Uf/champion/CTsearch/CTsearch.asp?searchType=CN&searchItem1=Scotch Pine

is a search for scotch (sic) pine

the db is not maintained; due to lack of staffing it is on the back burner.

Not having the variable sucks, because I have ruled a number out by just C. I ballparked the H because of seeing the top in inner city back yards was problematic. One monster bur oak came in at ~13 on the list even though I was generous with H.


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## max2cam (Dec 10, 2009)

sandcountry said:


> Thanks for the reply. I know how to measure a champion tree. I was simply asking if you were attaching a number marker to a big pine tree for future generations to note. what size of tree in circumference would you conside worthy of noting. ie is an 80 inch circumference red pine somehting that you would tag so that your family could observe and measure through the years. Or would it take a larger cuircumfence, for you to take note of the tree.
> 
> I guess its like asking what size pine in sand country would make you go ooooo! We have white, red, jack and scotch.



I also live in the sand country of southern Douglas County near the Washburn County line. And I also have groves of red pine 80" circumference in size and am guessing the same major fire event sprouted these similar size trees, yours and mine. I have cut down a couple that size and they were about 100 years old. Some might be older or younger depending on local growing conditions. I have one red pine that is not too much larger but dates back to 1871 so size is not always a key to a trees age.

Those 80-inchers are nice sized red pines and are verging on "old growth" so yes, they are noteworthy and IMO should be protected for future generations. But they also make great lumber.

Same with the white pine.

However, I wonder about the Scotch pine. That is not a native tree so yours must have been planted. Do you know the history on that Scotch pine? 

Here I there is a plantation planted around WWI with some Scotch pine in it. One of the first pine plantations in the state. Also, one old German guy once told me that relatives in Europe sent them some pine tree seeds around 1905-10 which they then planted and grew up to a large size. I never did go try to find them although he said they were still there. I should do that this spring.


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