Why Build a Big Tree Registry?

America hosts the largest, tallest, and oldest trees in the world. Big tree registries identify the largest trees of each species in a given area. These distinctions inspire appreciation of nature and aid conservation efforts. Maryland was the first state to develop a registry for big trees in 1924. State registries feed candidates into the national registry, while county and local registries feed the state systems.

Less than one-third of Maryland counties maintain their own registries. Maryland's Forest Conservation Plan administrators and county zoning boards consult tree registries before tree harvest or land development is approved. Maryland's local registries afford specimen trees a degree of protection by law.

In August 2006 Dr. Joan Maloof and I set out to build the Wicomico County Register of Big Trees. Over nine months 75 trees were entered into the county registry. Thirty three of these county trees qualified for the state registry with four being the largest for their species in the state. The Wicomico County Registry of Big Trees has been accepted by the Maryland State Forestry Service, the Wicomico County Forestry Board, the Wicomico County Zoning Board, and has aided The Nature Conservancy in land purchased for preservation.

There are many present burdens and future threats to the continuity of our world's ecology. Our experience is that the creation of a local tree registry is effective in bringing direct and indirect value to trees as an integral part of the quality of all life. Any willing citizen can engage in this work. We commend those who have come before us, thank those who have helped us, and encourage those ahead.

Ronald Lindblom

June 25, 2007

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