Along with an award-winning forestry program, Tullahoma is also home to the largest Willow Oak in the state. The local tree was given the title recently by the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture with their Tennessee Champion Tree Program.
According to the university’s website, the program was launched in the 70s with the intention of identifying and cataloging the largest native trees in East Tennessee. The program expanded to accept trees from across the state. Today, in collaboration with the Tennessee Division of Forestry, the Department of Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries at the University of Tennessee actively administers the state champion tree program.
The forester for the City of Tullahoma Parks and Recreation, Lyle Russell, gave the tree’s nomination. Russell said that he knew the tree was the biggest in Tullahoma, but after reading up on the state’s champion tree program he decided to send in the tree’s measurements.
“I knew of a Willow Oak in Memphis that was the largest, but I thought that ours might be just as big, so I took measurements and sent them in for consideration,” he said.
Standing at 92 feet tall with a circumference of 255.6 inches, the tree is located behind local business The Painted House, near downtown Tullahoma.
“This is an amazing designation to receive,” said Russell. “Based on the measurements, that puts this tree around 259 years old. It’s seen every bit of Tennessee’s and Tullahoma’s history, and even pre-dates the United States by a few years.”
According to Russell, the Willow Oak in the Memphis area is still alive. However, the Willow Oak in Tullahoma has surpassed it in size since the last time measurements were taken. The Tullahoma Willow Oak is now 9 feet taller and 15 inches larger in circumference according to the university’s champion tree website.
With development happening all around us, Russell said it is important to remember the need for trees.
“They have a lot of intangible benefits,” he added.
Benefits that include, but are not limited to, creating cooler temperatures between buildings, purifying the air, and increasing property value. -GN
