Celebrate Arbor Week in Alabama! Help us find a Champion Tree in Birmingham
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This week, the Alabama Forestry Commission is encouraging all Alabamians to celebrate and observe Arbor Week February 19 to February 25. Proclamations, tree plantings, and seedling distributions will mark the week for most all the 82 communities recognized as a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation across the State of Alabama.
At Bham Now we want YOU, our readers, to help us celebrate Arbor Week by finding a Champion tree or Historical tree in Birmingham/Jefferson County and surrounding metro counties.
No Champion Trees in Jefferson County
According to the Alabama Forestry Commission, there are no State Champion Trees or Famous and Historical Trees from Jefferson County listed on the Commission’s state registries. In fact, there are very few listed in the surrounding counties.
Let’s change that.
Here is the criteria for both categories.
A Champion Tree is the largest of its particular species in Alabama. The Forestry Commission uses a formula developed by American Forests to determine the size of a tree. The point system is figured as follows: one point for each inch of circumference, plus one point for each foot of height, plus one point for each four feet of average crown spread.
Since 1981, the AFC has sponsored a program identifying trees of historic significance. It is called the Famous and Historic Tree Program. The program’s purpose is to locate, recognize, and preserve trees associated with or related to historic events, persons, and sites.
The following categories are use to determine eligibility of nominated trees:
Notable people
The development of the nation, state, county, or city
Eminent educators and/or educational institutions
Art, artists, literature and writers, law, music, science, or the cultural life of the nation, state, county, or city
Churches and religion
Early forestry and conservation
Learn how to submit nomination for the State Champion Trees – HERE and the Historical Trees – HERE.
Send us your photos this week
Can’t find a famous tree?
Email us (pat@bhamnow.com) your favorite pictures of a tree(s) in the Birmingham Metro area and Alabama and we will publish our favorites on Saturday, February 24th. We must receive all entries by Friday, February 23rd at noon. All photos must be original. Please include the location of the tree.
Happy Arbor Week Birmingham!!
