New and increased duties have deprived the Big Tree Program of adequate time to devote to the increased amounts of big tree fieldwork. The 10-year mark for re-measuring existing big trees on the NJ Big Tree Registry is approaching starting in 2026 and every year thereafter. This will increase the big tree workload considerably and we do not have staff to dedicate to this program moving forward. Having the people of New Jersey upload big trees themselves will eliminate months’ worth of field work by the Big Tree Coordinator making the Big Tree Program more efficient.

Data has been collected for big and heritage trees in New Jersey since the 1930’s while showcasing the state’s most epic and prized big and heritage trees on a registry of trees. Currently, big and heritage trees are showcased on an online registry at https://www.nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/forest/bigtrees/treesofinterest.html

In 2016 a big tree geodatabase was created. This geodatabase was then used to create the big tree survey application allowing the big tree coordinator to easily collect and upload big tree data which includes tree id, circumference, height, average crown, nominator, big tree owner, tree location, county and more. For the big tree coordinator to be able to visit the nominated tree, he must first receive a completed and signed right of access (ROA) agreement. The ROA provides the big tree coordinator with the necessary permissions to visit the tree, measure the tree, photograph the tree, collect seed from the tree, and list the tree on the registry. Big tree owners that give permission to list their big trees on the registry will be listed. Those that do not, will not be visible to the public. In 2016 the Big Tree Registry consisted of 150 trees, and now it boasts over 700 trees increasing the workload considerably as all trees must be remeasured every 10 years.

Due to staffing shortages and limitations, it has become necessary to create a big tree survey for the public so they can measure and upload trees to be added to the NJ Big Tree Registry increasing efficiency for the New Jersey Forest Service (NJFS). Very little work is required to create the new big tree public survey as the data from current big tree survey will be fully utilized.

March 3, 2025 is the completion date. There is some wiggle room with respect to this completion date. However, we would like the big tree public survey to be available by May 3, 2025, the day of the 2025 Big Tree Event, where attendees can be educated on how to use it.