Largest Trees in Great Falls

On the 4th of July, the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority received recognition for having some of the largest trees in Great Falls Virginia.

The Great Falls Citizens Association conducted an extensive heritage tree census this year. One of the goals of the Citizens Association was to highlight the great resource they have in large mature trees, and hope that this effort helps to save these great trees.

The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority owns over 700 acres in Great Falls. This land is along the Potomac River. Today it is a key part of the Potomac Heritage Scenic Trail system. In the late 18th Century this area was part of the Patowmack Canal system that George Washington built. The Patowmack Canal system was built many years before the C&O Canal on the Maryland side.

Because this area along the river has been largely natural for so many years, it is home to a very mature forest. The largest tree in Great Falls, a Sycamore is on Regional Park Authority land. We also had the largest Hickory, and White Ash. In addition we have among the largest American Beech, Chestnut Oak and Silver Maple.

The Great Falls Citizens Association is a great organization, and I hope their effort to highlight the importance of our mature trees help to protect them. Many of these large trees have been growing for hundreds of years. These giants should be protected like other historic assets.