“I think that I shall never see

A poem lovely as a tree,” begins the poem.

The poem is fitting for North Dakota, a state with many more trees than when homesteaders arrived here to settle years ago. In fact, NDSU-North Dakota Forest Service maintains the records for the Champion Tree Program in North Dakota. The Champion Tree Register lists the champion trees and the runners-up.

The program originated when the N.D. Society of American Foresters and the N.D. Tree Farm Committee began a public contest on Arbor Day on May 4, 1984, to find the largest tree of each native tree species in the state. The contest was modeled after the “National Register of Big Trees” run by American Forests.

Submitted Photo A balsam poplar in the Turtle Mountains in Bottineau County is among trees on the current North Dakota Champion Tree Register.

When North Dakota initiated the state centennial emphasis on planting 100 million trees in 1986, the N.D. Forest Service and Centennial Trees Commission joined as sponsors. The N.D. Champion Tree Register was renamed and expanded, according to NDSU-North Dakota Forest Service information.

Aubrey Davis, NDSU-North Dakota Forest Service outreach and education manager in Bismarck, said the current reigning champions of North Dakota’s state tree, the American elm, are a tree located in Fargo (first place) and a tree in Lisbon (second place).

“Our tallest tree in the state is a Cottonwood from Sheldon. Largest circumference is also a cottonwood,” Davis said. The latter tree is located in Grand Forks.

“We consider height, crown spread and circumference in the math for champion trees,” Davis said.

Area trees listed on the most recent list (2018) on the N.D. Champion Tree Registry include:

Native trees

– Quaking Aspen (2): Located in Turtle Mountain State Forest, Bottineau County; and west side of Loon Lake, Turtle Mountains, Bottineau County.

– Paper Birch: Located one-fourth mile west of Lake Metigoshe, Bottineau County.

– Rocky Mountain Juniper: Located along Summit Trail, McKenzie County.

– Poplar Balsam (2): Located in Turtle Mountains, Bottineau County; and Homen State Forest, Bottineau County.

– Missouri River Willow: Located 7 miles southwest of Warwick.

Non-native trees

– Siberian Larch: Located at Denbigh Experimental Forest.

– Jack Pine: Located 15 miles northwest of Towner.

– Red Pine: Located at Denbigh Experimental Forest.

– Engelmann Spruce: Located in Sec. 10, Twp. 162NR 69W in Rolette County.

Davis said applications are being taken for champion trees.

“For every nomination we receive, one of our employees goes to the tree to take photos and do all of the measurements. We try our best to also revisit Champion Trees to make sure that the trees are still alive and we remeasure them to account for growth,” Davis said.

For the complete list of North Dakota’s champion trees including area champion trees and how to nominate a tree, visit Champion Trees of North Dakota-North Dakota Forest Service at: www.ag.ndsu.edu/ndfs/ and click on “About North Dakota Forestry.”