Champion Trees

Betula nigra (River Birch) Champion of the Champions

The Newton Tree Conservancy has created its Champion Tree Inventory to celebrate the biggest known trees in Newton. These trees represent some of the oldest, largest and most beautiful trees in the city. This list crowns the Champions, and designates Silver, Bronze and other giant trees across 35 species based on hugs and the resulting circumference. To determine the circumference, you can hug a tree with your arms to see how many hugs it is, knowing that you can measure the length of your hug at home. Typically, your hug is the same as your height.

Largest Newton Champion Trees

  • Champion of the Champions: Betula nigra (River Birch) behind Countryside School. It spans a whopping 320 inch circumference or approximately 5 hugs. The i-Tree(R) benefits calculator estimates, on an annual basis, this tree sequesters 2 pounds of carbon (the equivalent to ~7 pounds of CO2) and absorbs 27,000 gallons of water (prevents over 6,000 gallons of runoff). 

  • Second Largest Champion: Acer saccharinum (Silver Maple) in Newton Centre Park between the playgrounds and playing field in an open field (289 inch circumference, ~4 hugs).

  • Other Notable Champions:

    • The Champion Quercus rubra (Northern Red Oak) overlooks the children’s slide in Farlow Park (240 inch circumference, 3.5 hugs). 

    • The Champion Quercus coccinea (Scarlet Oak) is hidden in Coldspring Park near the park entrance on the way down the hill (240 inch circumference, 3.5 hugs).

    • The Champion Fagus sylvatica (European Beech) resides in the Newton Cemetery and Arboretum (233 inch circumference, 3 hugs). 

Newton Cemetery and Arboretum

There are a total of 30 trees on the Champion list at the Newton Cemetery and Arboretum, which boasts 19 Champions, 7 Silvers, 2 Bronzes and 2 additional giants. You can find a walking tour and explore their complete inventory on their website.

Champion Village Newton Centre

Newton Centre tops the village count in Newton with 48 trees on the Champion Tree Inventory, of which 25 are Champions.

Largest Tree Species in Newton

Of the 35 species included in the list, the following are the largest.

Adding a Champion Tree to the Inventory

If you would like to nominate a Champion Tree, please register your tree using the Newton Champion Tree Intake Form.