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Friday, 20 October 2023

It's a beauty : It's the tree of the year 2023

You may recall this post here - well now the winner has been announced!

The Woodland Trust's tree of the Year 2023 is,
Wrexham's sweet chestnut tree


The tree dates back to 1539,
and has survived being pillaged for firewood in post-war 1940s Britain
photo credit Kyle Jones Mattock

A towering sweet chestnut renowned for its beauty and history has been voted the UK's tree of the year. (Sweet chestnut trees produce edible chestnuts, encased in prickly green shells)

The 484-year-old tree in Acton Park, Wrexham, has stood since the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

As well as weathering many storms, it survived being pillaged for firewood in 1940s post-war Britain.

Previous winners of the award include the Sycamore Gap tree in 2016, before it was mysteriously felled last month.

With a girth of 6m (19ft), the sweet chestnut stands in an urban park surrounded by homes on the edge of the city centre.

This year's competition, run by the Woodland Trust, aimed to celebrate ancient and veteran trees in urban spaces.

Jack Taylor, a campaigner for the Woodland Trust, said the tree was an "amazing and deserved winner".

"The sweet chestnut in Wrexham's Acton Park is a symbol of resilience in the city having survived many storms and other threats.

"This almost 500-year-old giant is celebrated and loved by locals for its beauty and history and it now has the claim to fame of being a Tree of the Year winner."

Hugh Jones, from Wrexham council, said: "Wrexham Council is delighted to have been awarded UK Tree of the Year 2023.

"We would like to thank the people of Wrexham and the wider population who took the time to vote.

"It goes to show that the Wrexham Sweet Chestnut has inspired people for so many years and is now getting some well-deserved recognition."

Above words and image taken from here

The Woodland Trust is the largest woodland conservation charity in the United Kingdom and is concerned with the creation, protection, and restoration of native woodland heritage. It has planted over 50 million trees since 1972.
These words are on their website 'Woods and trees are essential, for people, for wildlife, for life."

~ xx oo xx ~

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All the best Jan

31 comments:

Tom said...

...one of nature's treasures.

Anonymous said...

What a tree! -Christine cmlk79.blogspot.com

roentare said...

This tree certainly has a soul. Oozing so much vibe.

Catarina said...

It is a beauty indeed.

J.P. Alexander said...

Es un bello árbol Te mando un beso.

Elephant's Child said...

How magnificent. I hope it stands and thrives for centuries to come.

Rustic Pumpkin said...

A worthy winner!

Margaret D said...

It is a beautiful tree.

Stefania said...

Veramente splendido questo castagno.
Merita la vittoria

John's Island said...

Hello Jan! Thank you for introducing me to the Woodland Trust, the largest woodland conservation charity in the UK. It encourages me to see humans recognize the importance of other forms of life within our universe. I love the words on their website, “Woods and trees are essential, for people, for wildlife, for life.” It is great to see Wrexham's sweet chestnut tree honored as Tree of the Year 2023. Happy weekend ahead to you and Eddie. John

chica said...

Merecida premiação! É linda demais! Adorei!

beijos praianos, chica

eileeninmd said...

It is a beautiful tree!
Take care, have a great day and a happy weekend!

Donna said...

What a gorgeous tree!
hugs
Donna

stardust said...

What a beautiful tree! Almost divine with such a longevity.
Yoko

Valerie-Jael said...

Wonderful tree, long may it be there! Valerie

My name is Erika. said...

Wow, I love imagining all that the tree would have witnessed in those years. What a beauty. Have a lovely start to your weekend

Jeanie said...

That's a beautiful one!

carol l mckenna said...

Oh what a gift of nature ~ beautiful tree and photo ~ thanks,

Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your day,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)

CJ Kennedy said...

Amazing!

R's Rue said...

Beautiful

Bill said...

I agree, it is a beautiful tree.

HappyK said...

That is one amazing Tree!!!

https://linsartyblobs.blogspot.com said...

It is a beautiful tree.

Caty said...

This is an AMAZING tree ! almost 500 years old ! incredible, I hope it could live for 500 years more ! I wish you a great weekend, and send big hugs
Caty

This N That said...

What a magnificent tree! Certainly, worthy of applause!

Jenny Woolf said...

Wonderful that you have mentioned the Woodland Trust, Jan. THey do such amazing work. I have been a member for almost as long as I can remember now! I would love to stand under that tree in Wrexham. Big trees are one of my very favoutite things!

Conniecrafter said...

So good that it was spared and wasn't used for firewood, it is a beauty!

Fun60 said...

A well deserved recipient of Tree of the Year

Teresa said...

Un árbol precioso, amo los árboles. Siento tristeza por la tala del sicomoro. Un abrazo.

Teresa said...

Sycamore Gap. Besos.

William Kendall said...

Well deserved.