Polish Tree, Nicknamed 'Heart Of The Garden', Wins Tree Of The Year

A tree in Poland, nicknamed "The Heart of the Garden", has won the 2024 European Tree of the Year contest. The common beech tree grows in an old park in the University of Wroclaw's botanical garden. According to the BBC, it is the third Polish tree in a row to win. The tree has an unusually thick trunk and is estimated to be around 200 years old. "The "Heart of the Garden" is living proof of an old park's historic turmoil and dominates over the Arboretum situated around it," the official site of Tree of the Year reads. 

The majestic tree clinched the first prize this year with an impressive tally of 39,158 votes. Apart from having an unusually shape and thick trunk, the tree has widely spread branches and purple-coloured leaves. "Upon a shadow of its great, widely spread crown, enthusiasts still meet - just like 100 or 200 years ago - united by their admiration of nature," the site read. 

Other contenders from the competition included the Weeping Beech of Bayeux in Normandy, the 1,000-year-old Olive Tree of Luras in Sardinia, Italy, Camellia in Portugal and Pear Tree in the Middle of a Field in the Czech Republic, as per the BBC. 

The UK's entry, Wrexham's sweet chestnut in Acton Park, came in tenth place. The tree is believed to be 500 years old. "This giant tree is a symbol of resilience in the city, having weathered challenges from post-war plundering of the park for firewood in the forties to dozens of deadly storms. The tree is celebrated and loved by locals for its beauty and history, and often the centrepiece for picnics and tree parties," the description of the tree read. 

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Notably, the Tree of the Year contest celebrates our relationship with nature by showcasing beautiful and unique trees from across the continent. As per the site, the contest, first organised in 2011, was inspired by the popular Tree of the Year contest, which has been organised in the Czech Republic by the Czech Environmental Partnership Foundation for many years. 

Every year in February, the Environmental Partnership Association (EPA) hosts the annual online voting for the "European Tree of the Year". Since 2011, the event has expanded from 5 to 16 participating countries. The idea is to make people aware and work unitedly to preserve the trees and nature in their country.