In 1940, the journal American Forests initiated a nationwide search for the largest tree of each species, the national champion. The nationwide program first began in order to identify and protect these living landmarks. Every year larger trees are found, old champions are dethroned, and new champions take their place on the registry list. The search is ongoing and hundreds of large trees have been saved from human destruction. Many smaller search regions exist.
Most states have a registry and many counties are beginning their own registry.
Don Schmidt, Dean of Green, and Joseph E. Armstrong, Professor of Botany, Department of Biological Sciences, are creating a regional big tree registry in association with Illinois State University's Fell Arboretum and the Fell Arboretum Society. The Fell Arboretum is located on the Illinois State University campus and includes many tree species native to Illinois. This educational project promotes an interest in tress, their identification, and and measuring are basic skills for each of these subjects. This educational project will involve and interest members of the general public, and involve members of the Fell arboretum Society. Once we generate some publicity for this project, members of the public possessing a large tree may wish for participating classes to measure one of their trees .