EUROPEAN TREE OF THE YEAR, Part 1

 

I have previously posted about the European Tree of the Year.

It is an annual contest held to find the most 'loveable tree' in Europe and has been running since 2011. The contest selects a tree from participating countries (now 15 in number) by public vote. Most countries hold a national poll to select their entrant for each year. The winner is announced at an awards ceremony in late March held in the EU Parliament, Brussels.

The European Tree of the Year 2021 was announced last Sunday.

Working from the lowest number of votes to the greatest number, here are the nominated trees and their stories . . .

 

No:	14
Country:	Bulgaria
Tree:	The Old Mulberry
Species:	Mulberry
Age:	Around 450 years
Votes:	30,055
(Commentaries from the European Tree of the Year awards, being the text provided by the nominators) The Old Mulberry has proudly stood for centuries at the central town square – now a public garden. It brings together young and old people to pass time together and enjoy the tree and a fountain. Back in time, near the veteran tree was the town pub. The centuries have passed the story of Stefan Karadzha – renowned national revolutionary. He outwitted the head of the local administrative unit by succeeding to hide in this much visited and noticeable pub, during a chase by the Ottoman army unit.

 

 

No:	13
Country:	Slovakia
Tree:	Ancient Oak from Drnava
Species:	Oak
Age:	700 years
Votes:	30,058
The old oak is located next to the former grounds of Count Andrássy's famous iron-plant in Drnava. It was here in the 1940s that the structural parts of the famous Chain Bridge "Lánchíd" in Budapest were cast, for which the village earned the nickname "Kis Pest"- Little Pest. Today the tree is one of the stops on the nature trail on the old trade route and has been an integral symbol of the village for several generations. There is mention of the stout oak in the municipal chronicle as early as 1670.

 

 

No:	12
Country:	Belgium
Tree:	The Four-Trunked Survivor
Species:	Chestnut
Age:	160 years
Votes:	30,886
During the First World War the city of Ypres was totally destroyed, but the root stump of this tree remained alive there. From the base of the trunk 4 new side trunks grew up spontaneously. They also survived the Second World War, when Ypres was cold and almost all trees were cut down to firewood. The Four-trunked Chestnut became a unique survivor from pre-war Ypres. This living monument, with a trunk base of no less than 9.10 meters in circumference, now symbolizes the force of survival, located next to the world famous Menin Gate.

 

 

No:	11
Country:	Scotland
Tree:	The Survivor Tree
Species:	Rowan
Age:	70-100 years
Votes:	31,197
Borders Forest Trust based its slogan: “Where one tree survives, a million trees will grow,” on a lone rowan clinging to a stream bank in Carrifran Valley. Today that survivor tree is lonely no more! It is surrounded by a little forest of its children and In addition to its own children, the rowan tree now has over half a million other native Scottish trees for company. The rowan tree no longer stands alone and is a symbol of the 20-year journey to revive the wild heart of Southern Scotland.

 

No:	10
Country:	Croatia
Tree:	The Eldest Resident of Medulin – Chocolate Tree of our Memories
Species:	European Nettle Tree
Age:	115 years
Votes:	31,283
Years fly by she tells us. The town square was always alive. With a market, dances, centuries-old traditions as Carnival Prince burning or ritual May thefts when young men show courage and love to girls by stealing flowers, fences, cars or boats from locals who find them under the town square tree. Today she enjoys a movie or play, sways at summer concerts, sings for Christmas when she dresses up to spend time with locals and guests. Above all she loves children's play and laughter, she'll treat them to magical chocolate berries in the future too. So she says, the eldest resident of Medulin, our town square Nettle Tree.

 

No:	9
Country:	France
Tree:	The Pouplie
Species:	Black Poplar
Age:	200 – 300 years
Votes:	31,594
Fondly nicknamed The Pouplie for 2 centuries, this black poplar is huge for France (girth 9.6m and 38m high). Last of old poplars, soul of the village, her gold leaves adorns it's coat of arms. She is said to be the incarnation of a nymph, daughter of the sun, who mourned for her dead brother by the river. The Pouplie was a sentinel during WW1, soldiers watching the enemy from her heights. Located on a buildable private site and weakened by a fire, villagers wish to protect her for many more years.

 

 

No:	8
Country:	Hungary
Tree:	The Judas Tree on the Church Hill of Mélykút
Species:	Judas Tree
Age:	250 years
Votes:	31,867
The tree was planted in 1750 by Franciscan monks from Subotica on a hill in the north side of the church that was being built in the village at the time. It is a miracle that this Medditerrenean species is still alive there. Its spring blooming is admired by everyone and has become a symbol of the settlement. Countless seedlings from it live in the gardens of people from Mélykút, thus connecting the past with the present and the settlement with its former inhabitants around the world.

 

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Part 2 to come.