Romanian plane tree in the race for European Tree of the Year title

A 200-year-old plane tree from the Romanian city of Campeni, in Alba county, is among the finalists of the European Tree of the Year 2019 contest, which aims to find the tree with the most interesting story.

The winner is selected by public vote, and online voting is open until February 28. Voters have to select two trees.

The plane tree in Campeni was selected for the European Tree of the Year 2019 title due to its story. Last year, the local authorities decided the tree must be cut. However, the locals united around the tree and fought to save it, “turning it into a symbol of love for nature and of unity for the community in the Apuseni Mountains, but also for all Romania,” reads the tree’s presentation on the contest’s page. The 200-year-old plane tree was also awarded the “Romanian Tree of the Year” title last year, in honor of the Great Union Centenary, which the country celebrated in 2018.

The Romanian tree can be voted here. The results will be announced on March 19 at the Award Ceremony in Brussels.

The list of finalists also includes trees with interesting stories from Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Hungary, Lithuania, and Poland. The full list is available here.

In 2018, a cork oak tree from Portugal got most votes and was the winner of the European Tree of the Year award. A 500-year-old lime tree from the village of Leliceni, in Romania, won the first edition of the contest, in 2011.

(Photo source: Treeoftheyear.org; photo by Claudiu Druga)