The Geauga Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) is excited to announce the 2018 Geauga County BIG TREE Contest and is currently seeking nominations! This voluntary contest promotes the beauty and benefits provided by our county’s biggest and oldest trees, along with their contributions to clean water and healthy soil. The 2018 featured tree species is the American Beech (Fagus grandifolia).
Easily recognized by its smooth, light gray bark, tapered surface roots, and leaves that persist year round on young trees, this long-lived tree holds a special place in our forests and hearts. Among many benefits, their abundant cavities and beech nuts are significant to wildlife. With the recent discovery of Beech Leaf Disease in northeast Ohio, locating our biggest beech trees can foster awareness and future research.
Participants will submit a nomination for an American Beech tree which they believe might be the largest in the county. After all nominations are submitted, qualified personnel will verify the measurements using the ODNR Division of Forestry’s Big Tree Program procedures. Each tree will receive a score based on trunk circumference, crown spread, and total height to determine the winner. Click here for 2018 BIG TREE Nomination Form and more information.
In addition, the District will consider each tree’s ability to capture stormwater along with other economical benefits. For example, one American Beech with a diameter of 45 inches can absorb as much as 6,213 gallons of stormwater runoff each year.
The objectives of this contest are:
- To engage residents in the recognition, management, and enhancement of our county’s tree populations
- To showcase the critical roles that trees play in sustaining healthy soil and clean water
- To recognize that each healthy tree in our county reduces flooding and improves water quality by soaking up stormwater runoff and filtering out pollutants
BIG TREE Contest Guidelines:
- Nominated trees must be American Beech trees located in Geauga County. (Visit the Ohio Division of Forestry’s website http://forestry.ohiodnr.gov/americanbeech to review characteristics.)
- Only one nomination per individual tree. The first nomination received will be entered into the contest.
- The tree does not have to be on the property of the nominator; however, permission from the landowner must be obtained prior to nomination.
- Nominations must be submitted to Geauga SWCD no later than Tuesday, July 31st at 3:30 p.m.
Please email to gprunty@geaugaswcd.com or submit in person or through the mail to the Geauga Soil and Water Conservation District, PO Box 410, 14269 Claridon-Troy Road, Burton, OH 44021.
Qualified District personnel will verify all nominated tree measurements and use the tree benefits calculator (treebenefits.com/calculator/) to provide the stormwater runoff reduction capability. The decision of the District will be final.
Geauga County’s BIG TREE will be recognized and awarded at the District’s Annual Meeting in the fall.
For more information contact Geauga SWCD at Geauga Soil and Water Conservation District, 440-834-1122, or gprunty@geaugaswd.com.
