Allen+S.+Audubon+Society+of+Wake+County.

On January 9th, I attended a Wake County Audubon Society Meeting. The meeting’s topic was “We are the Champions: In Search of Giant Trees. ” The presentation was presented by Retired Virginia State Parks Ranger Gary Williamson, who explained how champion trees are scored and what it’s like to be obsessed with searching for North Carolina’s and Virginia’s largest trees. We learned that the formula for scoring a tree was : Trunk Circumference (in inches) + Height (in feet) + 1/4 Average Crown Spread (in feet) = Total Points. For each specie of tree there is a champion tree with the most points, and a co-champion tree that falls within 10 points of that champion tree.

This is related to earth science because trees play very important roles in the environment as they provide oxygen, improve air quality, preserve soil, and support wildlife. They also control climate by moderating the effects of the sun, rain and wind. These huge trees can also provide shade and recreational uses.