Minnesota has a National Tree Champion

A tree in northeast Minnesota has been recognized as the largest in the United States.
A jackpine was located by Casey Cloeter with a trunk circumference of 95 inches and a height of 63.25 feet. It is the largest known tree of its species in the country as reported to American Forests.
Cloeter is a USFS-MN DNR ecology research contractor who works on various research contracts such as the Forest Inventory Analysis program (FIA) throughout the midwest.
Cloeter said he mostly mostly works in the most remote, backcountry sections in northern St. Louis, Lake and Cook counties including the BWCAW and Voyageurs National Park.
“On September 5th, 2019 myself and a co-worker found the new National Champion (American Forests) Jack Pine deep in the heart of the BWCAW about 13-15 portages deep in the region East of Malberg Lake,” said Cloeter.
“This is well off any trail or portage on a bushwhack to a fixed research plot. I travel hundreds of miles a year through the backcountry for my work. I also went to VCC for my first two years of college before transferring.
“We have the National Champion Pinus Banksiana (Jack Pine) here in Minnesota and the BWCAW having a National Champion tree is significant. I found this pine after the Voyageurs National Park Jack Pine was just crowned about 2 years ago, and I was certain I’d come across a larger Jack Pine in my backcountry travel.
“The BWCAW tree scores 167 points while the Voyageurs tree scores 165. The trunk (circumference) of the BWCAW tree is much larger and is massive for a Jack Pine.”