Old growth / Champions

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PHOTO 1

The age of this large ponderosa pine in the Black Forest is not known, but there are at least five age groups of offspring easily visible in this photograph.  Left of the large tree are three trees reaching maturity, in front of the large three and to the right are three saplings (estimated 20’, 10’, 5’ tall), and also numerous seedlings.  This is a classic old growth ponderosa pine with a flat crown. Note the downward angle of the older. larger branches halfway up the tree, and the level angle of higher branches compared to the upward branch angle of the younger trees.

PHOTO 2

Terry Stokka of the Black Forest History Committee submitted this photo of Jarrod Tilton, and the currently largest known diameter ponderosa pine in the Black Forest area, north of Colorado Springs. Note the flat southeast  side of the tree, where the bark is not cracked into plates over the triangular area where an old fire scar wound filled in (arrow on tall scar triangle).                  

A NEW CHAMPION TREE FOR BLACK FOREST

By Terry Stokka

Chairman - Black Forest History Committee   

Thanks to Jarrod Tilton, a lifelong resident of the forest who loves to walk in the forest and enjoy the beauty and majesty, the Black Forest History Committee would like to announce a new champion Ponderosa Pine tree.   Jarrod found a tree that measured 10 feet 6 inches in girth, which is 40 inches in diameter when measured four feet above the ground.  If you stretch out a tape measure to 40 inches and imagine this to be the top of a tree stump, you will agree this is truly a giant tree.

The Black Forest History Committee has an ongoing project to find the largest Ponderosa Pine trees in the Black Forest.  The largest trees are in two categories – girth and height.  The reigning champions have been two trees on Shamrock Ranch, one that measured 10 feet 1 inch in girth and another tree that was 102 feet tall.

 Jarrod found the tree a mile west of Howells Road and a mile north of Pine Creek High School.   The tree was on the slope above Kettle Creek on the Kettle Creek Ranch.  The tree is 59 1/2 feet tall when measured by triangulation equipment.  While this isn’t very tall for such a huge tree, it appears that the top has been damaged in the distant past by lightning, heavy snows or porcupines because the huge trunk tapers very quickly about 50 feet off the ground.  Several of the branches are as large as many of the tree trunks in the surrounding area.

The Black Forest History Committee would like all of you to be our eyes in the forest to find other Ponderosa Giants.   A “Giant” for the Black Forest is a Ponderosa Pine that measures over 9 feet in circumference or over 80 feet tall.   If you think you might have a giant near you, measure around the tree about 4 feet above the ground.   If the tree has a girth of over 9 feet, call Terry Stokka at 495-0895 and he will come over and measure the height for the “Giant” record book.  So far we have found 13 trees in the “Giant” category but we know there are more, so please help find them. 

Note:  www.AmericanForests.org sponsors a Champion Tree program nationwide and in each state. See www.coloradotrees.org/champions/  for the latest information.  According to their website, the Colorado Tree Coalition (CTC) Champion Tree Program maintains records of the largest trees in the state, and each year accepts nominations from rural and urban areas all over the state (we did not find a ponderosa pine champion on their list.) The annual deadline is November 1, and after that the search begins again for even bigger trees. The search is never over because a bigger one may be just around the corner!  You don't need to be an expert or a forester to nominate a tree. If you know of a large tree you'd like to nominate, use the links above for more information on how to measure and nominate a tree.