CDT Ann Hayes ’24 Conducts Research on the History of the United States Military Academy Forest

As part of her research on the history of the United States Military Academy forest, CDT Ann Hayes ’24 is documenting the biggest and possibly oldest trees of each species. The current big tree champion is a White Oak located on the north side of Route 218 in vicinity of the US Mint. This venerable tree has a circumference of 19 feet 4 inches (232 inches). By applying a species-specific growth factor, CDT Hayes '24 estimates the age of this tree at 369 years, which suggests it sprouted from an acorn in 1653. By this estimate, the White Oak would have already been 137 years old when the United States purchased this land from Stephen Moore in 1790.