
Champions in the Field: Measuring Giants, Building Pride
From Kansas Canopy by Kansas Forest Service
February 4, 2026 · 50 min · Season 6 · Episode 2
About this episode
This episode explores the Kansas Champion Tree Program and the role of volunteers in preserving the state's largest trees.
In this episode of the Kansas Canopy Podcast, Volunteer and Partnership Liaison Brady Wolken takes us behind the scenes of the Kansas Champion Tree Program and its dedicated volunteers. From measuring some of the largest trees in the state to learning how to identify species and document their stories, these citizen scientists help preserve Kansas’s living landmarks. We explore why champion trees matter, how they connect us to the history of our state, and how spending time with these giants fosters a deeper respect for nature, and a sense of pride in caring for it. 5th Grade Arbor Day Poster Contest: https://www.kansasforests.org/programs/postercontest.html 200-year-old Kansas Champion Pecan: https://www.kansasforests.org/events/calendars_and_articles/statechampionpecan.html What Tree is This Guide: https://www.arborday.org/tree-identification
Topics covered
- Kansas Champion Tree Program
- volunteering
- citizen science
- tree measurement
- environmental pride
Keywords
- champion trees
- nature conservation
- Kansas history
Mentioned in this episode
Products: What Tree is This Guide
Books & works: What Tree is This Guide
Places: Kansas
More episodes of Kansas Canopy
- Discovering the Ozark Chinquapin · June 3, 2026 · 1h 28m
- Putting Kansas on the Map: GIS Tools That Make a Difference · May 6, 2026 · 38 min
- Researching the Eastern Redcedar · April 1, 2026 · 26 min
- The Kansas River & the People Who Protect It · March 4, 2026 · 52 min
- Investing in the Forest: Why Timber Stand Improvement Matters · January 7, 2026 · 30 min
- Building the Wildland Fire Workforce · December 3, 2025 · 48 min
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