Special branches... six of NI’s best vie for title of Woodland Trust’s top tree

THE Invisible Tree is among six from across Northern Ireland shortlisted for the Woodland Trust’s Tree of the Year.

The final six include The Nobbly Tree in Londonderry’s Brooke Park; The Big Oak in the grounds of Hillsborough Castle, and a horse chestnut known as The King Tree in Armagh.

Also on the list is the Oriental Hornbeam in the Botanical Gardens, Belfast, and a pair of Crom Yews on the Crom Estate, along the shores of Erne.

The Invisible Tree is actually a sessile oak in Rostrevor, but it was given the name after there was no mention of it in a survey for a planning application. Members of the public are being asked to vote for their favourite and the tree with the most votes will get a £1,000 health check from a specialist, educational materials or a From left: Invisible Tree; King Tree, Nobbly Tree and Crom Yew community event in celebration The winning tree will go up of the tree. against those selected in England,

Ian McCurley, director of Scotland and Wales to the Woodland Trust in Northern represent the UK in the European Ireland, said: “Each of the competition. shortlisted trees is unique, with Contenders include Liverpool’s a story to tell. I have no doubt Allerton Oak, which this will be a close-run competition, may have been growing since and that’s why it’s so the time of the Norman Conimportant that every one of us quest; the Isle of Wight’s Dragon takes the time to vote.” Tree, which a myth claims was once a dragon slain by a knight, and Fallen Tree in London’s Richmond Park, which has continued to grow after falling over in a storm.

Cast your vote at woodlandtrust. org.uk/treeoftheyear. Everyone who votes will be entered into a prize draw to win £100 in Sainsbury’s vouchers.