Time to update the Hamilton Roster of Charlotte’s Champion Trees

Vince Crockenberg, Charlotte Tree Tribe

Every year or so the Charlotte Tree Tribe, under the leadership of Tree Warden Mark Dillenbeck, invites all Charlotters to help update the Hamilton Roster of Champion Trees, named in honor of former Charlotte tree warden Larry Hamilton.

Deputy Tree Warden Sue Smith and Cliff Mix, a retired forester who manages Mary Cheney’s lands, measure the new champion black cherry. Photo by Meg Berlin
Deputy Tree Warden Sue Smith and Cliff Mix, a retired forester who manages Mary Cheney’s lands, measure the new champion black cherry. Photo by Meg Berlin.

The roster, see below, lists the currently identified biggest trees of each species in Charlotte, whether on private or public property. For purposes of the roster, champion status is determined by the tree’s girth, in inches, four and a half feet from the ground.

If you believe you have identified a candidate for champion status—a tree that is larger than the current champion of that species or that places a new tree species on the list—measure the tree at that height. Then send your measurement, along with a photo if possible, to Tree Steward Vince Crockenberg or to Deputy Tree Warden Sue Smith with the words “Champion Tree?” in the subject line. One of us will then contact you and set up a time to confirm the tree’s species and girth.

In addition, many of the listed champion trees may well have grown substantially in girth since they were last measured; if you think that might be the case with a champion on your property, let us know and we’ll come out and remeasure it.

Finally, we’re trying to provide GPS coordinates for each of our champion trees so we and others can more easily find them. We’re missing those addresses for many of the champs. If you have a champion on your property and could provide us with the GPS coordinates, in either decimal degrees or degrees/minutes/seconds, we’ll add those coordinates to the roster.

A constantly updated Hamilton Roster, which includes information on where the current champion trees reside, can be also found on the town website.

Hamilton Champion Tree Roster
Species, Circumference and location (GPS in degrees, minutes, seconds). Species and circumference in inches measured 4.5 feet above ground.

January 2021 – Native to Charlotte
Ash, Black, 49, Donegan, Carpenter Rd. (44/20/12 N, 73/9/56 W)
Ash, Green, 165, Krasnow, off One Mile Rd.
Ash, White, 172, McGarghan, Lake Rd. Ext. (44/16/55 N, 73/16/9 W)
Aspen, Big Toothed, 63, Keyes, Upper Old Town Trail
Aspen, Trembling, 49, Keyes, Upper Old Town Trail
Basswood, 164, Thorp Cove Rd.
Beech, 130, McGinnis, Mt. Philo Rd.
Birch, Black, 76, Butnor, Guinea Rd.
Birch, River, 15, Town Green
Birch, White, 63, Donovan/O’Donnell, Lake Rd.
Box Elder, 121, Shifrin, Ferry Rd.
Butternut, 134, Woodruff, Garen Rd.
Cedar, Red, 58, Town land, Thompson’s Point Rd.
Cedar, White, 153, Barber Hill Cemetery (44/18/5 N, 73/15/18 W)
Cherry, Black, 10, Cheney, Lewis Creek Rd. (44/16/11 N, 73/10/38 W)
Cottonwood, 174, Philo Ridge Farm
Elm, American (White), 128, Donegan, Carpenter Rd. (44/20/32 N, 73/9/54 W))
Elm, Slippery (Red), 106, Krasnow, off One Mile Rd.
Gum, Black, 15, Town Green
Hackberry, 19, Town Green
Hemlock, 110, Muggenthaler, Near Williams Woods
Hickory, Bitternut, 41, Keyes, Upper Old Town Trail
Hickory, Shagbark, 109, Cheney, Lewis Creek Rd. (44/16/28 N, 73/10/37 W)
Hop Hornbeam, 61, North Shore Rd., near Whiskey Bay
Locust, Honey, 142, Preston, One Mile Rd.
Maple, Black, 87, Lake Rd. (44/16/42 N, 73/16/15 W)
Maple, Red, 131, McCabe Brook, Lime Kiln Rd.
Maple, Silver, 164, Lander, 826 Carpenter Rd. (44/20/26 N, 73/10/44 W)
Maple, Sugar, 211, PuRd.um, Fox Run Rd. (44/19/28 N, 73/14/48 W)
Oak, Bur, 183, Donaldson, Garen Rd.
Oak, Pin, 42, CCS (44/19/3 N, 73/13/20 W)
Oak, Red, 157, Handy, Dickens on Guinea Rd. (44/201/49 N, 73/11/38 W)
Oak, Scarlet, 137, Moraska, Spear Street
Oak, Swamp White, 166, Beal, Thompson’s Point Rd. (44/16/44 N, 73/16/38 W)
Oak, White, 179, Keenan, North Pasture Lane
Pine, Red, 61, Thompson’s Point Rd., SW of Association Way
Pine, White, 160, Cheney, Lewis Creek Rd. (44/16/18 N, 73/10/32 W)
Sycamore, 60, Walker/Boynton, Lake Rd. (planted in 2000)
Serviceberry, 20, UVM Natural Area, Pease Mountain
Tamarack, 64, Hinsdale, west of Spear St.

Non-native but widely planted or escaped
Horse Chestnut, 134, Horsford., Greenbush Rd.. (44/19/20 N, 73/15/1 W)
Locust, Black, 158, Horsford., Greenbush Rd.. (44/19/20 N, 73/15/22 W)
Maple, Norway, 95, Crockenberg, Thompson’s Point Rd.. (44/16/42 N, 73/16/54 W)
Poplar, White (European), 93, Garvey, Baldwin Rd.
Walnut, Black, 137, Horsford., Converse Bay Rd.
Willow, Weeping, 254, Mt. Philo Rd., near Shelburne line