Apply for protection for your trees now!
Do you have a big or favorite in Davidson County? Enter it in our contest. Deadline has been extended to August 1, 2019.
Now you can add a step towards tree preservation by applying to have your special tree registered as a Metro Historic and Specimen Tree.
How to Enter
If you have a favorite tree — in your yard or somewhere else — take a few minutes to enter it in our Big Old Tree Contest. Trees will be judged by species, so let us know what your favorite tree is and where it is located. The 2018 contest recognized 42 winning trees from a great field of 81 entries!
Why do we have the Big Old Tree Contest? The contest began as a way to educate school children the importance of big trees and has now evolved into a great resource to locate Davidson County's largest and most notable specimen trees. This information is not only educational and fun, it is helpful in learning more about tree preservation. So far, we have recognized over 800 trees!
Contest information:
If you've entered a tree in the past and it has not won, you may reenter it in the contest. But, trees will only be a winner once and must be located in Davidson County.
Deadline for entries is August 1, 2019. Any trees entered between April 1, 2018 and August 1, 2019 are eligible to win. Our contest has a longer entry period this year because we’ve decided to include the summer months for easier tree identification. Winners will be celebrated at the:
High Tree Party
Early September, 2019 - more details coming soon!
We've honored more than 800 trees, so be sure to look for your tree on our interactive map to check if your tree has previously won.
Metro Historic and Specimen Tree Registry
This is a voluntary way to help protect the big trees you love. This two-step program launched in 2016 by the Metro Tree Advisory Committee of the Beautification and Environment Commission allows property owners to place deed restrictions on large and specimen trees. Trees do not have to be Big Old Tree Contest winners but those are great to nominate. You may apply below for designation in addition to entering your tree in our contest. If approved for designation by Metro, you can apply for a deed restriction.
Applications to Metro can be submitted at any time. If it is received by March 15 and approved, we will celebrate it at the High Tree Party in April 2018.
2018 Winners
2017 Winners
