(Radio Iowa) – Trees Forever will be hosting an online seminar over the noon hour today (Tuesday) to showcase Iowa’s tallest trees. Jeff Jensen, an Iowa field coordinator for Trees Forever, says these trees dwarf the landscape. “We were able to secure Mark Rouw,” Jensen says. “He’s kind of known as the ‘big tree expert’ here in Iowa. He’s been all over the state.” Rouw keeps a spreadsheet of the state’s tallest trees. Jensen says Rouw will explain how he measures the trees, where he goes to look for them and some of the national champion trees in Iowa.

“And just gives just a really nice overview, including just some fantastic photos,” Jensen says. State officials say Iowa has about three MILLION acres of trees and forest areas. Jensen says while Iowa is known as a tall grass prairie state, it has some tall trees, too. “As you can imagine, for a tree to get real large to be considered a national champion or a state champion, it has to have a very long life,” Jensen says.

Find out more about today’s (Tuesday’s) webinar at www.radioiowa.com. The state’s list of tall trees shows a dozen trees are over 100 feet tall. It includes a sugar maple in Clayton County; a European Alder in Davenport; a Bitternut Hickory and a couple of Black Walnuts in Des Moines; a Black Ash in Anamosa; plus three Yellow Poplars in Indianola, Davenport and Burlington. Three Eastern White Pines in Iowa are among the tallest. One is in Fayette County. The other two are at White Pine Hollow State Preserve in Dubuque County.