The Woodland Trust has chosen Scotland’s Tree of the Year to represent Great Britain in the European Tree of the Year competition.
“The Survivor” at Carrifran near Moffat in Dumfries and Galloway won a public vote to be named Scotland’s Tree of the Year in October. It has now beaten off competition from The Chapter House Tree at Port Talbot and The Happy Man Tree in Hackney to be named Great British Tree of the Year 2020. As such, it will go forward to the European Tree of the Year competition organised by the Environmental Partnership Association. Voting will take place online across the month of February 2021.
The British competitions, run by the Woodland Trust, are supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery. An expert panel at the Woodland Trust decided which tree was bound for the European competition.
“The Survivor” was once the only noticeable tree in the valley and was adopted as a symbol by the community group which took ownership of the land at the turn of the millennium. ‘Where one tree survives a million will grow’ became their mission statement. That mission has been accomplished.
Fi Martynoga of Borders Forest Trust, who nominated the rowan said:
“This tree rapidly became a very important symbol of our aspirations to see this valley completely re-wooded and restored to its natural vegetation. In this valley alone we have planted well over 600,000 trees. The beauty of it is they are now beginning to reproduce themselves. It shows how you can change an environment for the better, preserve and multiply what is around. I hope it can stand as a symbol for other people, that they can do the same thing.”
Will Humpington, advisor for climate change and environment at People’s Postcode Lottery said:
“I’m really pleased our players are supporting the Tree of the Year competitions, which continue to build a deeper connection between people and the nature that’s around them. “The Survivor” is a terrific symbol of what can be done and what needs to be done in our landscape as we face the challenges of climate change. We hope its message will now make an impact across Europe and beyond.”
