The Lost Champion

Current/ongoing project
Produced by Grand Central Arts Center, Santa Ana, CA

The Lost Champion is a public, place-based project that memorializes the loss of a national champion tree (Brown-Woolly Fig – Ficus drupacea) that was cut down in Santa Ana—by listening to what remains.

A state or national champion tree is the largest known individual of a specific species, determined through a standardized point system based on height, trunk circumference, and average crown spread. These trees are typically identified through public nomination and maintained in official registers—such as American Forests’ National Champion Tree Program and state-level counterparts like the UFEI California Big Trees Registry —to encourage conservation and appreciation of our oldest and most extraordinary trees.

Through guided walks, field recording, and collective attention to five sites across Santa Ana that are currently home to state champion trees, The Lost Champion explores the urban forest as a living ecosystem and listening as a form of memory, care, and witness. The project will culminate in an event at the site of the former national champion tree, incorporating field recordings Ben captured prior to its demise.

Programs are currently in development. Stay tuned and join the GCAC mailing list for announcements, as dates and details will be released soon!