10/02/2026
BIG NEWS!!!! I'm excited to announce that I've been offered a huge opportunity from the Nevada Division of Forestry. You're officially looking at the new lead volunteer for the Nevada Big Tree Program! I will be stepping into this role as the main 'boots on the ground' for Northern Nevada area. The work involved will include visiting, measuring and tracking all currently registered champion trees in the state, aswell as measuring/confirming future nominations. The previous lead volunteer, Rod Haulenbeek, unfortunately passed away in early 2026. Rod was an absolute legend. Incredibly passionate about trees, he has led the charge in the search for Nevadas biggest trees for many years. It's an absolute honor to carry the torch, and I can only hope to do him justice.
I'm ecstatic to have this opportunity. It feels like something I'm meant to do, like destiny. Lately I've been visiting the redwoods once a year with my family, and being in the presence of such ancient beings, such incredibly massive and majestic trees, is nothing short of awe inspiring. These are living gods, and they have witnessed the rise and fall of every human empire in history. I've also been spending a lot of my freetime searching for new champions around the Reno area. And now to be directly involved with the Champion Tree Program, to be a steward of the ancients and assist in their protection and conservation... It's a literal dream come true. I'll be posting more about this over the next year as I visit each tree and take measurements. There's sure to be some epic adventures and tough expeditions in my future!
Thanks to for the footage. This video is from pruning the state champion Coulter Pine a few years ago. It was the first Nevada state champion that I had ever seen, and we had the honor of cleaning up some broken branches and deadwood in it's massive canopy.
