Wales’ Tree of the Year to be announced at Senedd today

WALES’ Tree of the Year is to be crowned at the Senedd today!

Seven spectacular trees have been battling for votes in this year’s Wales Tree of the Year competition.

The votes have been cast and verified and the result is to be announced at a special ceremony at the Pierhead Building, hosted by John Griffiths AM, at noon today.

Supported by the People’s Postcode Lottery, the Woodland Trust’s annual competition is designed to highlight and celebrate the best trees in the country.

The shortlisted entries in this year’s competition include two street trees in Cardiff, which have really struck a chord with residents, a rare Ginkgo tree planted by the famous Japanese Admiral Heihachiro in Pembroke Dock, and a well-known black poplar in Newtown, which has the distinction of having moved from one side of the river Severn to the other.

Natalie Buttriss, director Wales for the Woodland Trust (Coed Cadw) said: “The Wales Tree of the Year competition is all about highlighting and celebrating our most remarkable and special trees. We have a fantastic number of ancient and veteran trees and many notable urban trees.

“Trees across the country are constantly under threat of felling due to inappropriate developments. The Wales Tree of the Year competition is all about helping to raise the profile of trees in order to offer them better protection.

“All the trees in this year’s competition look amazing and each of them has a wonderful story to tell.”

As well as putting the nation’s best trees on the map, the awards – supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery – offer a £1,000 tree care award for each winning tree in each country.