FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ReLeaf Michigan Announces 2023-2025 Michigan Big Tree Hunt Contest Winners!
October 23, 2025 – Ann Arbor, MI – ReLeaf Michigan, a statewide non-profit tree planting and education organization, celebrated the conclusion of its 16th biennial Michigan Big Tree Hunt contest on Saturday, October 18th, with an awards ceremony at the Chippewa Nature Center in Midland. The contest, which encourages outdoor exploration, awards participants for identifying the biggest trees in Michigan and began in the spring of 2023, concluding in August of this year.
More than 500 entries were sent in from people across the state, including 76 of Michigan’s 83 counties. Prior to the awards ceremony, the winning entry for each county was verified on-site by trained arborists, foresters, and additional tree and conservation professionals statewide. The largest trees in the state were discovered in all sorts of places, including backyards, local parks, cemeteries, and hiking trails. Due to many trees being on private property, the specific locations are kept confidential.
The closing celebration brought tree lovers from across Michigan together to honor the living landmarks they discovered. ReLeaf Michigan has hosted the Big Tree Hunt since 1993, inspiring generations to explore the outdoors and appreciate the value of trees. As Big Tree Hunt Chair Lindsay Lights shared, “What stuck out most was seeing everyone cheer for each other’s tree. This isn’t just a contest. It’s a celebration of Michigan’s trees and the people who care about them.”
Certificates and prizes were awarded for several categories: the largest tree submitted from each county, the overall largest tree in different age groups, the largest Eastern White Pine (Michigan’s state tree), and any new potential state champion trees.
The grand prize for the largest tree in the contest submitted by a Big Tree Hunter under 15 years old went to siblings Corey and Dani Town! Corey and Dani found a Sugar Maple measuring 240 inches around (20 feet!), located in Lapeer County. The grand prize for the largest tree from a Big Tree Hunter 16 or older was awarded to Kathy Briggerman, who shared a Weeping Willow in Shiawassee County measuring 327 inches around. The grand prize for the largest Eastern White Pine was awarded to Michael Anger, with a specimen 192 inches around, found in Antrim County!
Sixteen trees submitted for the contest qualified as new potential state champion trees and were submitted for review and confirmation to the Big Tree Coordinator of the Michigan Botanical Society, Ted Reuschel. (Note: Trees already listed in the Michigan Big Tree Register before the start of the contest were not eligible for prizes.) A complete list of winners is available on www.BigTreeHunt.com.
The contest also helps discover eligible trees for the National Register of Big Trees, now maintained by the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture. Michigan currently has seven registered National Champion trees. The Big Tree Hunt is an excellent opportunity to get Michigan trees noticed nationwide.
The 2023-2025 Michigan Big Tree Hunt was made possible thanks to the support of its sponsors. Platinum sponsors of the Big Tree Hunt include Meijer, Archangel Ancient Tree Archive, Detroit Zoological Society, and Consumers Energy Foundation, who provided critical funding. Other sponsors included the Michigan Botanical Foundation and The Cooper Charitable Fund. The following organizations also provided key collaboration to execute the program: ISA Michigan, Michigan Botanical Club, and the Michigan DNR – Urban and Community Forestry Program.
The next Big Tree Hunt will officially begin in the spring of 2026, pending contest sponsorship. If you are interested in supporting the Michigan Big Tree Hunt contest, please email bigtreehunt@releafmichigan.org.
For more information about the Big Tree Hunt, including pictures and the list of winners, visit the ReLeaf Michigan’s Big Tree Hunt webpage at BigTreeHunt.com. Photos of winning trees are available upon request.
About ReLeaf Michigan
ReLeaf Michigan is a statewide volunteer non-profit 501(c)(3) tree planting and education organization. Its mission is to educate the public on the value of trees and how to properly select, plant, and maintain them. Its board is made up primarily of arborists, foresters, and researchers passionate about preserving one of Michigan’s most significant resources: trees.
Since 1988, ReLeaf Michigan has worked with more than 722 communities across the state, planting over 35,000 large-sized trees in public spaces throughout Michigan. Learn more at releafmichigan.org.
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