THE QUIET CHAMPIONS OF ATLANTA

ATLANTA MAGAZINE APRIL 2025

In a culture obsessed with competition, it comes as no surprise that even our trees have been put to the test. In 1940, the organization American Forests, in an effort to boost public interest in their field, began searching the nation for the largest specimen of each tree species. This project launched the National Champion Tree program, an exclusive award for America's largest trees. States and cities soon followed with initiatives to reward their own tallest and widest living residents.

The following series documents a handful of Atlanta’s champion trees; these are only some of the towering neighbors with whom we share our city. Many of these trees are true survivalists, hanging on amidst the inhospitable conditions of an ever-expanding city. They live astride busy roads, like the ginkgo in front at the High Museum of Art, or tucked between houses in dense neighborhoods, in the case of the champion tupelo. Their size makes them notable, but they are perhaps most remarkable simply because they have stayed alive.

LINK TO THE ARTICLE HERE