Qualifications
The Westminster Tree Commission sponsors the Westminster Heritage Trees Program. The City of Westminster Tree Commission established the Heritage Tree Program in 2011 to encourage residents and property owners to identify and protect individual trees or groups of trees that meet one or more of the following qualifications.
- Specimen: A tree of exceptional size, form or rarity, or horticultural value
- Historic: A tree of exceptional age, and/or associated with or contribution to an historic structure or with a noted person or historic event
- Landmark: A tree that is a prominent identifying feature of a community
- Collection: A group of trees in a notable grove, avenue or other planting
Nominating Trees
Anyone may nominate a tree or trees, but the person who owns the land on which the tree stands must consent to the nomination. Trees located in County right-of-way are not eligible. There are no regulatory restrictions associated with the designation.
Current Nominees
Check out the
current tree nominees!
- 1st Heritage Tree: A 90-foot Sycamore tree belonging to Robin Crouse at 538 Old Westminster Pike
- 2nd Heritage Tree: A 75-foot Sugar Maple tree belonging to Richard Blosveren
- 3rd Heritage Tree: A 50-foot Sycamore tree at 219 East Main Street
- 4th Heritage Tree: A 55-foot American Holly belonging to Tony Chiavacci
- 5th Heritage Tree: An 80-foot tall White Oak on Willis Street
- 6th Heritage Tree: An 85-foot tall American Hornbeam on Willis Street
- 7th Heritage Tree: A pair of 45-foot tall Weeping Purple Beech trees on the grounds of City Hall
- 8th Heritage Tree: A 90-foot tall White Oak estimated to be 377 years old as of July 2012, and listed in the National Registry
- 9th Heritage Tree: A 95-foot Silver Maple was in the Big Tree champions of Maryland and was the Carroll land mark for Carroll County’s Silver Maple champion of 1990 belonging to Ms. Virginia Ecker Hierstetter on Old Westminster Pike
- 10th Heritage Tree: A 55-foot Black Mulberry Tree was 1 of 6 great trees of Maryland belonging to Mr. Nick Samios on Gist Road
- 11th Heritage Tree: A 33-foot, approximately 35-year-old Cucumber Magnolia at St. Paul's UCC on Bond Street
- 12th Heritage Tree: A 50-foot tall Wye Oak on Ridge Road belonging to Mrs. Berends. It is a certified offspring of Maryland's State Tree, the Wye Oak
- 13th Heritage Tree: A 38-foot-tall Indian Cigar tree on Manchester Avenue belonging to Ms. Lynnette Brewer
For questions about the Westminster Heritage Tree Program, please call 410-848-9000 or
email.
Purpose
- Recognize, foster appreciation and inspire awareness of the contribution trees make to the community
- Increase public awareness of the significance and importance of trees
- Draw attention to and protect unique trees
- Encourage public participation in identification and perpetuation of heritage trees
- Connect the past to the present by preserving historic trees for the enjoyment of future generations
- Increase public awareness of the important contribution of trees to our cultural and community history
- Provide property owners with recognition and reward for preservation of significant heritage trees