What is a Champion Tree?
The Department of Natural Resources keeps records of the largest trees in Wisconsin. These trees are called champion trees. This register of Wisconsin’s champion trees lists the top ten records of each species and contains a wealth of information about each tree’s dimension, rank, and location. You can find out if there are any champion trees near you by viewing the list of champion trees of each species. (leaves EEK!) How to Measure a Champion Tree Champion trees are measured by taking a circumference (distance around the trunk) measurement, a height measurement, and a crown (the upper part of a tree) spread measurement. These measurements make up the total points. Total Points = Circumference (in inches) + height (in feet) + 1/4 of average crown spread (in feet). You can find directions on how to measure a champion tree at the DNR Web site. (Leaves EEK!) Give It a Try Even if you don’t have any tree champions in your neighborhood, you can still have fun learning how to measure trees.
