Wilcox County is home to nine trees designated as 'Champion Trees' by Alabama Forestry Commission

Within the confines of Wilcox County’s borders there are 907 square miles of land, and much of that landscape is covered by lush forests. These forestlands contain hundreds of thousands of trees, and of those trees, there are nine in Wilcox County that are truly remarkable.

Over half a century ago, way back in 1970, the Alabama Forestry Commission launched its Champion Tree program, and nine special trees in Wilcox County are currently designated as Champion Trees. A Champion Tree is the largest of its species recorded in Alabama as determined by a formula used by the forestry commission. A tree’s total size is determined by its circumference, its height and its average crown spread.

One the most remarkable trees in Wilcox County is a Durand Oak that’s on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers property. This giant oak is 107 feet tall, 162 inches around and has a crown spread of 62 feet. At one time, this tree was a National Champion Tree, that is, it was the largest of its species in the entire United States.

Another truly remarkable Wilcox County tree is a Cherrybark Oak owned by W.R. Phillippi. This massive oak is the tallest documented tree in the county. It’s 156 feet tall, 240 inches around and has a spread of 131 feet.

Tommy and Jeanell Lawler own three Champion Trees, including a huge Pyramid Magnolia, a large Chalk Maple and a big Two-winged Silverbell. Their Pyramid Magnolia is 92 feet tall, 41 inches around and has a crown spread of 24 feet. Their Chalk Maple is 44 feet tall, 42 inches around and has a spread of 35 feet. Their Two-winged Silverbell is 72 feet tall, 42 inches around and has a crown spread of 27 feet.

Other Champion Trees in Wilcox County include a Green Ash owned by the Allyrae Wallace Educational Trust, a Crape Myrtle owned by Malcolm Smith, a Winged Elm owned by Kinley Bell and an Eastern Red Cedar owned by John and Lou Harmon.

The Green Ash belonging to the Educational Trust is 88 feet tall, 177 inches around and has a spread of 84 feet. Smith’s Crape Myrtle is 43 feet tall, 78 inches around and has a spread of 33 feet.

Bell’s Winged Elm is 85 feet tall, 142 inches around and has a spread of 74 feet. The Eastern Red Cedar belonging to the Harmons is 52 feet tall, is 179 inches around and has a spread of 27 feet.

I think it’s also worth pointing out that Wilcox County has more Champion Trees than any other county in Alabama with the exception of Baldwin County, Madison County and Cleburne County. Baldwin County, said to be the largest county geographically east of the Mississippi River, has 15 Champion Trees and one National Champion. Madison County also has 15 Champion Trees and one National Champion.

Cleburne County has 10 Champion Trees and an amazing seven National Champions. Etowah County, like Wilcox, also has nine Champion Trees, all of which are National Champions.

In the end, if you’re interested in learning more about the Alabama Forestry Commission’s Champion Tree Program, visit the commission’s Web site at www.forestry.alabama.gov. Anyone can nominate a tree for Champion Tree status, so if you think you know of a tree that might be in the running for this honor, fill out the online nomination form on the commission’s Web site. Once you’ve completed the form, the commission will dispatch a forester to the tree’s location, where he’ll take the tree’s official measurements.