Photos by Nikiforos Delatolas, Waikoloa Dry Forest Initiative

WAIKOLOA, Hawaii – American Forests’ has released its Spring 2014 National Register of Big Trees and on the list is a 40 foot wiliwili tree from within the Waikoloa Dry Forest.

Here are the stats for Hawaii’s new champion:

Location: Waikoloa Dry Forest
Nominated by: Jen Lawson of the Waikoloa Dry Forest Initiative
Trunk Circumference: 186.96 inches
Average Crownspread: 43.50 feet
Height: 40 feet

The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources issued this media release on Friday:

For over 70 years the National Big Tree Program has invited arboreal enthusiasts to locate the largest trees of their species for the title of Big Tree Champion. By calling attention to these iconic trees, the program raises awareness of the numerous ecosystem benefits they provide.

The pre-eminent catalogue of champions is the National Register of Big Trees, a biannual publication released by American Forests. The most recent edition included a wiliwili (Erythrina sandwicensis) from Waikoloa Dry Forest. Specific measurements and photos are available on pages 14 and 40 of the register, listed under the common name “Coral bean.”

The Hawaii Big Tree Competition locates the largest native and culturally significant tree species in Hawaii. To be considered for nomination, the species must be included on the national list of eligible species. Hawaii currently has 21 eligible species, but efforts are underway to increase that number. The largest trees of each species are referred to as “National Champions,” an award which is based purely on the tree’s measurements.

Everyone is welcome to nominate a big tree. The champions are decided by a point system, determined by the following equation: circumference (inches) + height (feet) + 1/4th of the average crown spread (feet) = total points. For a species to be included in the register, nominations must be given to state coordinators prior to Sept. 15.

To learn more about our current champions or view a complete list of Hawaii’s eligible species, visit http://dlnr.hawaii.gov/forestry/info/big-tree/
To view the complete Spring 2014 National Register of Big Trees, visit http://www.americanforests.org/our-programs/bigtree/ To nominate a potential champion tree, send the measurements along with GPS coordinates to the Hawaii Big Tree Coordinator at 586-0915.
Department of Land and Natural Resources