Page 7 - Explore Arkansas 2020

EXPLORE ARKANSAS 7P WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS
Arkansas is home to a plethora of unique Champion Trees
SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2020 • ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE
SUBMITTED PHOTO Visitors search for diamonds at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro.
BY SAM PIERCE
CREATIVE SERVICES WRITER
Champion Trees are the largest individuals of their species in the state. Each tree is unique in size, width and even color, as they
represent different species. The trees are measured in three dimensions: trunk circumference, tree height and average crown spread. The circumference is measured at 4 1/2 feet from ground level. For more information on champion trees, visit aad.arkansas.gov.
For a tree to be eligible for nomination to be considered as a Champion Tree, it must be a native tree to Arkansas or non-native and naturalized, including hy- brids, cultivars, ornamentals and unclas- sified varieties. Here are some examples of Champion Trees in the state.
Baldcypress in Arkansas County: The largest Champion Tree in Arkansas is a baldcypress in Arkansas County. The tree has a circumference of 523 inches (more than 43.5 feet) with a crown spread of 76 feet and is 126 feet tall. The baldcypress has a bigness index of 459. Trees are com- pared using the American Forests’ bigness index, which can be figured by adding the trunk circumference, the height and 25 percent of the crown width.
The tree is in the lower White River National Wildlife Refuge, which is open to the public with limited access. The tree is on the Champion Cypress Tree Hiking Trail, which is usually open from March 1 to Dec. 15. The trail may be flooded at times, so calling the refuge office at 870-282-8200 for current trail conditions is advisable.
American sycamore in Crawford County: Located in the Ozark National Forest, the sycamore has a circumfer- ence of 264 inches (22 feet) with a crown width of 174 feet and a height of 151 feet. The tree’s bigness index is 459.
Anyone who wants to view this tree needs to understand that a visitor will need to travel very steep and treacherous terrain in order to actually get down to the tree itself.
Eastern cottonwood in Yell County:
From Council Oaks Park in Dardanelle, one can spot an Eastern cottonwood Champion Tree, which has a circumference
of 255 inches (21.25 feet) and a crown width of 85 feet.
Dardanelle has seven champion trees in all, including the Eastern cottonwood, and a persimmon tree. The city also holds the record for the largest Northern catalpa.
Cherrybark oak in Perry County:
This cherrybark oak tree is owned by Bill Gowns of Perryville. It has a circumference of 323 inches (nearly 27 feet), a crown width of 129 feet, a height of 124 feet and a bigness index of 479. For trees that are on private property, contact the Forestry Division of Arkansas to ensure that viewing is permitted.
Water tupelo in White County: Located in the Henry Gray Hurricane Lake Wildlife Management Area in Bald Knob, this tree, which grows in a dense forest that is often flooded, is very difficult to find.
The tree has a circumference of 451 inches (just over 37.5 feet), a crown width of 93 feet and a height of 125 feet. The water tupelo’s bigness index is 599.
surrounding the Benton Uplift in the Ouachita Mountains. According to the Geological Survey, silica-rich hydrothermal fluids deposited the quartz there 245 million to 280 million years ago. The deposits developed into milky veins and, in areas where underground voids provided sufficient space, clear crystals.
“It is similar to how rock candy forms, but on a much larger scale,” Davis said.
A variety of businesses now invite visitors to dig for quartz crystals at their mines, including Wegner Quartz Crystal Mines in Mount Ida, Twin Creek Crystal Mine in Mount Ida and Ron Coleman Mining in Jessieville.
CRATER OF DIAMONDS
Those searching for rarer gems can visit Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, which is one of the only places on Earth where visitors can dig for diamonds at their volcanic source.
Diamonds formed when carbon crystallized under intense heat and pressure about 100 miles below the Earth’s surface more than 3 billion years ago, said Waymon Cox, park interpret- er. About 100 million years ago, a di- amond-bearing volcanic pipe erupted near the Ouachita Mountains, bringing diamonds to the surface and creating the Crater of Diamonds, Cox said.
“Several attempts were made
at commercial diamond mining in Arkansas, but none was terribly successful,” he added. “In the 1950s, the diamond mine was promoted as a tourist attraction, and in 1973, the Crater of Diamonds was established as Arkansas’ 27th state park.”
Since then, more than 30,000 di- amonds have been found at the site, which also yields gems such as am- ethyst, peridot and lamproite, which are green or black volcanic rocks in which diamonds were formed.
“The best advice I can offer first- time diamond hunters is to have re- alistic expectations and do your re- search,” he said. “While most people don’t find diamonds their first time at the park, you can increase your chances by visiting our website and reading about the different ways that diamonds are found.”
He advised visitors to wear clothes that can get dirty and to visit in spring or fall, when temperatures are mild. Diamond seekers commonly visit the park after a rainfall in hopes of find- ing large diamonds on the surface that were uncovered by the down- pour, he added.
“Whether you find a diamond or not, it’s something of a point of pride to say you have been to the only pub- lic diamond mine in the U.S. and have searched for your very own di- amond,” he said. “Finding one is just the icing on the cake.”