Supporting roles for leafy celebs. (News from the World of Trees).From Clint Eastwood to Texas' proud tree owner Billy Finch, the April release of AMERICAN FORESTS' 2002-2003 National Register of Big Trees The National Register of Big Trees is a list of the largest living specimens of each tree variety found in the continental United States. A tree on this list is often called a National Champion Tree. caused a stir in the world of trees. Eastwood's bluegum eucalyptus had another tree owner saying, "Make my day!" as the actor's former Champion Big Tree was dethroned after a tree 200 miles north of Eastwood's home was found to be even bigger. The story made headlines in papers all across the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. , even reaching as far away as England and Canada. Similarly, Billy Finch of Weatherford, Texas Weatherford is a city in Parker County, Texas, United States. The population was 19,000 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Parker CountyGR6 and is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. , saw his champion pecan lose its crown when the 91-footer was one-upped by a 136-foot behemoth behemoth (bē`hĭmŏth, bĭhē`–) [Heb.,=plural of beast], large, fanciful primeval monster, like Leviathan, evoking the hippopotamus mentioned in the Book of Job. from Tennessee. According to an article published in the Dallas Morning News, the town of Weatherford was shocked. "You gotta be kidding!" said local arborist Steve Houser upon hearing the news. Finch's pecan put up a good fight through various bouts with insects and bad weather but was finally outdone out·do tr.v. out·did , out·done , out·do·ing, out·does To do more or better than in performance or action. See Synonyms at excel. by sheer determination and a taller trunk. The Tennessee tree, once thought to be a walnut, was confirmed as a pecan in 2001 and captured the crown. The former champ remains an attraction in Weatherford, where Finch maintains a path so big tree aficionados can visit. "If lightning strikes in Tennessee, we could be taking out the tape measures again," he told the Dallas Morning News. But perhaps no place was more pleased with this year's crop of new champions than the state of Nebraska, which returned to the list of states with champs with not one, but two titleholders. State champion tree coordinator Christine Meyer reported that, with Lt. Governor Dave Heineman and state forester Gary Hergenrader in attendance, certificates were presented to the owners of the national champion eastern cottonwood and dwarf chinkapin Noun 1. chinkapin - small nut of either of two small chestnut trees of the southern United States; resembles a hazelnut chincapin, chinquapin edible nut - a hard-shelled seed consisting of an edible kernel or meat enclosed in a woody or leathery shell oak during festivities fes·tiv·i·ty n. pl. fes·tiv·i·ties 1. A joyous feast, holiday, or celebration; a festival. 2. The pleasure, joy, and gaiety of a festival or celebration. 3. at the state capitol. Want to know if your town has a Big Tree? The National Register for Big Trees is now on the web at www.americanforests.org. The site includes a searchable database with information on the size, circumference, height, and location of the nation's 884 biggest trees. |
|
||||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion