Here's an example of one of the giants at Joyce Kilmer - This one had a circumference of about 16 feet - it's another Tulip Poplar. American Chestnuts used to be the dominant tree in this forest, but was eradicated in the 20's and 30's from an introduced blight. This tulip poplar is representative of what European Explorers would have discovered when entering the southeastern United States. Interestingly, Joyce Kilmer is the very last virgin stand like this preserved in the US. These are the largest trees in a 1 mile radius in the entire Eastern United States. Pre-European times, the entire region would have had trees this large.