Champion Tree

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/champion-tree

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How deep is Champion Tree?Records date back to 1620, with over 250,000 trees cataloged by 2022
2. What is the designation basis?Trees recognized for superlative height, girth, size, or significance
3. What is the ecological role?Provide habitat, prevent erosion, and act as significant carbon sinks
4. How do people decide which trees become Champion Trees?They measure the tree's height and girth, sometimes its volume or crown spread, and also look at its age, rarity, or special history.
5. Where can I find a list of Champion Trees?Many countries keep lists, like the UK Tree Register with over 69,000 trees, the US National Register, and South Africa’s list of 93 champion trees.

Arboreal Specimen: An individual tree that is notable for its size, age, or species characteristics.
Carbon Sequestration: The process by which carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere and stored in organic matter.
Keystone Species: A species on which other species in an ecosystem largely depend, so that if it were removed, the ecosystem would change drastically.