By Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


Those embarking on end of summer vacations or planning activities for the fall are encouraged to add Michigan’s Big Tree Hunt to their list.

The 15th Biennial Michigan Big Tree Hunt contest is again being hosted by ReLeaf Michigan, a statewide non-profit focused on tree planting and education. The deadline was extended due to COVID-19 and is open to all ages.

The non-profit awards certificates and prizes for the largest tree submitted in each county, for the overall largest tree in different age groups and the largest White Pine. The largest trees in the state can be found anywhere – a backyard, a local park or a hiking trail.

Project Forester Ashley Laux tells WHMI the contest is all about raising awareness and allowing people to fully appreciate trees that are in neighborhoods and forests across Michigan. She says it’s a grassroots contest that started out as a way to get people outside and look up at trees in the state and grow appreciation for them.

Laux noted that Michigan is losing trees especially in urban areas at somewhat record numbers due to invasive species, diseases and old age. With decreases in funding and a lack of awareness, she said there aren’t a lot of new trees being planted to replace those that are declining and dying.

As for the contest, Laux says they only require a circumference measurement, in which a person would measure 4 ½ feet up the stem of the tree from the base. She says people could even use a string and then measure that later with a measuring tape.

Laux says the entry forms online also have place to upload photos, which is really helpful to confirm that species are identified correctly – noting there are several types of oak trees that can be tricky to identify the specific species. She says they request a photo of the tree, where it was measured and if possible, a close-up of a leaf, twig or bud to help with identification.

The contest is also a way to discover eligible trees for the National Register of Big Trees, which is updated every spring and fall. As recent as 2012, Michigan had 23 champion trees but there is now only one registered. Champion trees are the largest found in the state of a specific species.

Since there are hundreds of tree species that don’t have registered champions yet, the Big Tree Hunt is said to be a great opportunity to add to the list and get Michigan’s biggest trees noticed nationwide. Even if the tree submitted is not as large as the currently listed state champion of that species, it’s still said to be important to submit since the current champion may have died or since been removed. The largest trees can be found anywhere but Laux noted that for whatever reason, they don’t tend typically get a lot of entries from the Upper Peninsula.

The deadline is August 19th, 2022. Details and entry forms are available through the provided link.