From the Iowa DNR:
The king is dead.
Iowa’s 114 feet tall national champion black ash was damaged in a wind storm ending its reign as the tallest ash in the country.
The damage was discovered Thursday by a team planning to give it a preventive treatment for emerald ash borer. The top of the tree had blown down at around 30 to 35 feet up the trunk.
Nominated as a champion in 2011, the tree was 110 inches in diameter with a crown spread of 53 feet. A medium sized ash is about 50 feet tall.
The tree is in an isolated location on private property in Clayton County near Pikes Peak State Park which allowed it to reach this champion size. Its height also made it susceptible to wind damage.
There were no signs of emerald ash borer.
It is likely the next national champion will be from another state as Iowa currently does not have a tree close to those measurements.