WWW.TREEOFTHEYEAR.ORG
PRESS RELEASE
With one week left, Czech, Polish and Welsh trees in the
lead for EU Tree of the Year 2017
BRUSSELS, February 22nd, 2017 — Standings in the European Tree of the Year contest will go secret
as the vote enters its final phase. This way, fans and supporters won’t know who the winner is
until the final announcement is made. With one week to go, all Europeans can still make the
difference for their tree by voting at www.treeoftheyear.org. Right before the last week, the top
3 positions were taken by the Czech Lime tree at Lipka (10,447 votes), Polish Oak Jósef (9791
votes) and Welsh Brimmon Oak (9562 votes).
This year, 16 candidates from countries of all sizes and populations take part. Country size,
however, does not determine the outcome; in 2015 tiny Estonia took the prize. However, this year
the contest’s rules have been adapted to make the contest more even by giving every voter two
choices. This way, one vote can go to a national champion, and the other can be freely given to
any tree that stands out. This – less nationalist – approach is sure to provide surprising results!
The current ranking (Tuesday, February 22nd, 8am) stands as follows:
1. The lime tree at Lipka, Czech republic: 10,447
2. Oak Józef, Poland: 9791
3. The Brimmon Oak, Wales, UK 4502: 9562
4. The venerable sessile oak by the Nasalevtsi
church, Bulgaria: 5514
5. The Céron park saman, France: 5311
6. The Sycamore Gap Tree, England, UK: 4688
7. The Holm Oak, Northern Ireland, UK: 4675
8. The "Ding Dong" Tree, Scotland, UK: 4502
9. The Village Lime Tree of Massemen, Belgium: 4182
10. Plane tree from Budatin, Slovakia: 4151
11. Aprisquillo Pine, Spain: 3925
12. Climbing Beech in Hoppenrade, Germany: 3738
13. Russalka oak, Estonia: 3712
14. Stelmužė oak , Lithuania: 3707
15. The most beautiful plane tree of the Jászai Mari
square, Hungary: 3662
16. Hugh O’Flaherty’s Trees, Ireland: 3655
Though this year he is campaigning for the Welsh candidate, Rob McBride, British tree hunter, has
been involved with the European Tree of the Year for years: “Trees bring people together like
nothing else that I can think of. In celebrating our shared arboreal treasures of Europe through this
wonderful contest, we can help more people understand the true value of trees and the roles that
they play in our lives”.
- END –
Environmental Partnership Association / +32 (2) 235 20 02/ [email protected] / www.environmentalpartnership.org
WWW.TREEOFTHEYEAR.ORG
Media Contacts:
Ana Canomanuel, Communication officer [email protected] — +32(2) 235 20 02
Andrea Krůpová, Contest coordinator: [email protected] — +420 775 856 359
FACTS & FIGURES
 7th edition
 16 trees from 16 countries
 2017 new country: Lithuania
 More than 200,000 votes every year
 More than 600,000 unique visits to the website every year
 200 attendees to the Award Ceremony in Brussels
The Environmental Partnership Association (EPA)
is a leading environmental organization
established for 25 years in Central and Eastern
Europe. With a team of 80 employees, EPA
operates in 6 countries via its 6 member
foundations in Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary,
Poland, Romania and Slovakia. EPA boasts 25-year
experience in project coordination and carrying
activities oriented to changing people’s mind-sets
to protect and improve the environment.
The European Tree of the Year is a contest that
highlights the significance of trees in the natural
and cultural heritage of Europe and the
importance of the ecosystem services trees
provide. The contest is not looking for the most
beautiful tree, but for a tree with a story, a tree
rooted in the lives and work of the people and the
community that surrounds it.
www.treeoftheyear.org
www.environmentalpartnership.org
Environmental Partnership Association / +32 (2) 235 20 02/ [email protected] / www.environmentalpartnership.org