Story Behind the European Tree of the Year

It is dynamic, participation-based contest that highlights trees with the best stories around Europe.

It is a celebration of cultural and natural capital through environmental and local heritage protection.

It is a networking opportunity for environmental, political, and commercial organizations.

The main aim of the contest and other activities of the Czech  Environmental Partnership Foundation is to strengthen communities, relationships among people and their awareness towards the environment they live in. 

We are not searching for the oldest, the tallest, the biggest, the most beautiful or the rarest trees. We are searching for the most beloved tree, a tree with a story that can hold the imagination and the community together.

The European Tree of the Year contest originated in 2011. It was inspired by the popular Tree of the Year contest, which has been organised in the Czech Republic by the Czech Environmental Partnership Foundation for many years.

The European round is a finale consisting of the winners of the national rounds. Every year, the online voting for the European Tree of the Year is organized by Environmental Partnership Association (EPA), of which the Czech Environmental Partnership Foundation is a member.

The first Tree of the Year Czech Republic contest ever was organized in 2002. Over the next eight years, four other European countries were inspired and also organised their own national rounds of the competition.

In 2011, the first European Tree of the Year voting was organized with 5 participating countries - Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

Smaller national contests curate selection of candidates for the continental (European) contest.

European contest then selects winner through a popular vote.

European winner is announced at Award Ceremony in Brussels in March.

We are collaborationg with MEPs, the European Commission, NGOs, European Associations, and lobby groups in the background of positive environmental action in Brussels.

Over the last decade, the European Tree of the Year contest has brought together countless tree lovers from local communities. Since the contest originated in 2011, the number of countries involved in the contest has risen from 5 to 16. Who will join next?

In the first 11 years we found 11 tree champions. More than 1,100 extraordinary trees and communities, proud of their nature, participated and more than 3.3 million voters from across Europe and beyond were involved.

Tree of the Year family is growing and we are so proud that the celebration of trees is expanding from the initially local initiative little by little around the world. The Russian Tree of the Year ran for a fist time in 2016-17 and in 2020, this Russian Lonely Poplar was placed 3rd in the European Tree of the Year.

In 2015 we inspired Tree of the Year Quebec. In 2016 the Asian Tree of the Year started in Sri Lanka and a year later India, Nepal, Malaysia and Singapore have joined the competition.

The competition has also been running in Australia since 2016  with the aim of raising awareness for the conservation of Victoria’s natural heritage and the benefits that significant trees provide.