2016 Durham's Finest Trees: The Winners

FIRST in FINEST: Lemur Center Dawn Redwood.
Photo by Wendy Diaz, Durham Co. Master Gardener.

Winners of the 2016 Durham's Finest Trees (DFT) program were announced at the Trees Over Durham meeting in April. The DFT program is in part managed by the NC Cooperative Extension Durham County Master Gardener program and Durham's Sustainability Department.

Durham's Finest Trees program recognizes significant trees in Durham County, promotes discovery and ability to identify trees, and helps preserve the best examples of specific tree species, particularly native and those trees well adapted to Durham County. The program also promotes awareness of trees in the Durham community and hopes to catalog fine examples of magnificent specimens of trees due to their size, setting, historical importance, or significant feature.

Durham tree lovers of all ages are invited to submit their nominations for significant trees in Durham County on a rolling basis.  The next deadline is October 1, 2017 for 2017 nominations (https://durhammastergardeners.wordpress.com/durhams-finest-trees/). Nominations received prior to October 1 of each year will be considered for awards that year. Anything received after October 1st will be considered in the following year. Trees on private or public property can be nominated in each of the three categories: largest, historical, or meritorious. Preference will be given to native North Carolina tree species. Non-native trees may be considered if they are of a species, subspecies, variety or cultivar proven to be relatively long-lived and well-adapted to North Carolina. Winning trees will be recognized on Durham's Arbor Day. Please read the official rules before submitting a nomination.

The following 2016 DFT winners were all measured for girth by Durham Co. Master Gardeners Wendy Diaz and Robin Barth. NC Extension Foresters measured the trees for height using a tool called a clinometer. See the Extension publication of how to measure a tree:  http://ncforestservice.gov/Urban/pdf/Howtomeasureachampiontree.pdf

Winning tree photos were taken by Wendy Diaz.

1. Lemur Center Dawn Redwood (Large/Historical Category) - 94 feet high, 102 inch circumference, 61 feet canopy; (private property, view from street/parking lot) 3705 Erwin Road/Duke Lemur Center. Photo taken December 1, 2016.

2. Cranford Rd. Dawn Redwood (Large) - 106 feet high, 110.5 inch circumference, 57 feet canopy; (private property, view from street) 2260 Cranford Road/Duke Lemur Center. Fall photos December 1, 2016.

3. Virginia Av. Loblolly Pine (Large) - 99 feet high, 103 inch circumference, 52 feet canopy; 2244 W. Club Blvd & Virginia Ave. These photos were taken October 29, 2016.

 

 

4. Main Street Ash (Large) - 54 feet high, 146 inch circumference, 65 feet canopy; 403 E. Main St. Photos taken October 29, 2016.

5. Parkwood East. Cottonwood (Large) - 68 feet high, 98.5 inches circumference, 66 feet canopy (view from the street/parking lot); beside Parkwood baseball field.

Photo taken  May 18, 2017.

 

6. Parkwood Catalpa (Large) - 43 feet high, 85 inches circumference, 44 feet canopy; In front of Parkwood Manor & east side of Revere Rd. Photographs taken October 26, 2016.



7.  Stagville Plantation Osage Orange (Historical) 4 trunks - 70 feet high, 45 inches circumference, 50 feet canopy; 5828 Old Oxford Hwy. Photos taken September 16, 2016 Photograph is of an adjacent Osage Orange Tree with unusual fruit.

https://durhamnc.gov/1580/Durhams-Finest-Trees