Experts told the Braders the national champion tree has been allowed to grow so large because its living conditions are ideal. Daveta said it was a wonder the black walnut on their property had been allowed to grow as old and large as it has. Nebraska isn't exactly easy on trees considering high winds, tornadoes and early snowstorms that can break branches. Scott Josiah, a state extension forester and Nebraska Champion Tree Program coordinator, said Nebraska often loses its champion trees to extreme Nebraska conditions. A lot of them had died.
Champion trees are big, and to get big, they have to be old.
Nebraska's kind of tough on trees, and they tend to die. Josiah said it was fun to think about what was going on at the time these champion trees were young. Probably some date back to pre-settlement times. There's one big cottonwood in Denton. The Cutaway Trail goes right by it.