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Champion trees are a rare and diminishing natural resource. The trees found in Larimer County Colorado capture our imaginations for more than just their size. Trees that have lived 100-200 years or more create a mystery surrounding their historical importance, events witnessed, relationship with the people and community, and beauty worthy of our respect.
A Champion tree is the largest specimen of its species. Colorado Champion trees are recognized as champions by measurement of its girth, height and crown spread. The measurements are added together to determine total points. The champion is the one with the highest overall score.
Colorado has three national champions: Singleleaf Ash located near Gateway with 86.6 points; a Plains Cottonwood near Hygiene at 551.5 points; and a Siberian Elm found in Grand Junction standing at 358.3 points.
Many factors contribute to a tree's growth in creating champion trees. State champion trees are recognized by a community, but few efforts have been made to preserve and study these unique natural resources. When a Champion tree dies, its genetic memory is lost.
Champion trees are part of the larger category of "notable trees". The Colorado Tree Coalition (CTC) considers trees to be Notable if they are Champions, registered with the state as being remarkable in some way; perhaps related to a famous or historical person, place or event; or accepted by the community as special based upon its species, uniqueness or contribution to the community. Native trees are considered for "notability" if they are remnants of original forest, old growth stands, or survivors of catastrophic events.
Over seventy Colorado Champion trees are located in Larimer County. Fort Collins and Loveland have champions scattered throughout their cities on public and private property. Fort Collins City Park has several champion trees and offers a self-guided tree tour of the arboretum. Additional information is available in the 2008 "Notable Trees of Colorado" Calendar produced by the CTC (coloradotrees.org).
In 1874, John Sheldon purchased land west of the year-old town of Fort Collins for a sheep ranch. In 1907, the city purchased 62 acres from the Sheldon Sheep Farm for use as a park site, named City Park in 1912. Later that same year, fencing was placed around City Park and trees were "set out" according to the plans of Professor B. O. Longyear. Prospect Park, four acres just west of City Park was purchased in 1913. The area today is part of the park and the City Park Nine Golf Course. City Park was dedicated as the city arboretum in 1992 and today contains over 221 different species and varieties of trees.
The Oval American elms on the Colorado State University campus have become an integral and cherished part of the history of CSU and Fort Collins. The tree history began with 3000 street tree plantings in 1881. The continuation of Howes Street onto the campus, known originally as "Lover's Drive," and today as the alley or center of the Oval was planted at that time. Early photographs reveal the elms lining the perimeter were not planted until 1922, 41 years after the original trees.
The tree history of the Agricultural College began with several large street tree plantings. In 1892 rock elms were planted along Laurel Avenue. The elms remain today and the fifth tree west of College has been recognized as the Colorado State Champion rock elm.
Trees were landmarks when pioneers settled Fort Collins in the 1870s. Only three Plains cottonwood trees in the Poudre River bottom were large enough to be conspicuous from a distance. The one remaining tree, located south of Timnath, is the current co-state champion Lanceleaf cottonwood. The tree was listed as the national champion by American Forests in the 1960s but later taken off the list when hybrids were excluded (Lanceleaf is a hybrid between Plains and Narrowleaf cottonwoods).
 The American Elm or "Washington Elm" in Loveland at the corner of Cleveland and Eisenhower, found in the Walgreens parking lot, is a grafted descendent from the original tree, where on July 3, 1776, George Washington took command of the Continental Army in Cambridge, MA. The Daughters of the American Revolution in Loveland planted the descendent on the grounds of Lincoln High School in 1931. Twice the tree died after being planted only to reappear the following spring. In the 1960s, Albertson's was going to build a supermarket and remove the tree, but it was saved through a statewide "save the tree" campaign.
In 1906, George Hoffman and his wife settled in Loveland and purchased a large parcel of property at 2502 North Madison. They planted fruit trees and two large Catalpas, one of which is Colorado's largest at the north pasture next to the road. The Catalpa and its adjacent sibling are examples of tree vs. development. The city is considering widening the road.
 Estes Park has four champion trees. They are large, but not necessarily huge trees. A Balsam poplar located 0.1 mile east from Crags on E. Riverside is a state champion. The other champions in Estes are much smaller in relation to the poplar, but they are giants in their own right. One State Champion Whiplash willow is .75 miles south of the intersection of Highway 36 and Fish Creek Road, 30 feet north of the parking lot across from the Van Horn Engineer office.
A Bebb willow is large only in comparison to typical Bebb willows. It is a new species for the State Champion Registry and is located SW. of the corner of Hwy. 36 and Mary's Lake Rd., on Rocky Mountain National Park property.
The McGregor Ranch has a shrub so large it qualifies as a tree. It is a Siberian pea shrub. Qualifications as a champion, under the rules of National Champion Tree Register, states that a woody plant must have a trunk circumference of 9.5 inches and a height of 13 feet to be a tree, and this shrub barely qualifies.
Even if trees are not impressive in size or beauty, they are still worthy of respect. Champion notable trees may have size, character and a place in history or a personal history known only by individuals and families. The Colorado Tree Coalition's website, coloradotrees.org links a full list of Colorado's state champion trees. The Register of National Champion Trees is on the American Forests website (americanforests.org), in addition to more detailed information on measuring trees.
Credits: The research in this article is gratefully acknowledged as being from Kathleen Alexander, Boulder City Forester and Tim Buchanan, Ft. Collins City Forester.
Photographs taken by Linda Neal.
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