This year, the competition focused on celebrating ancient and veteran trees in urban spaces across the UK. The winning tree, is beloved fixture in the park’s landscape and has faced many challenges, from post-war plundering for firewood in the 1940’s to deadly storms.
Previous winners of the competition include the Sycamore Gap tree at Hadrian’s wall in 2016 before it was felled in September 2023.
The Woodland Trust‘s Tree of the Tear competition aims to highlight the importance of trees in our landscapes, our lives and as a force to combat climate change and biodiversity loss. Under ever greater threat than ever before, many of the UK’s oldest and most valuable trees have no legal protection. Hopefully, by means of the competition, these vital living legends are recognised and brought into the public eye.
13 trees were shortlisted for the 2023 competition in total. The Acton Park sweet chestnut secured 17% of the overall votes and will go on to represent the UK in the European Tree of the Year contest. The ancient Crouch Oak of Addlestone, Surrey came second (14%), while the Greenwich Park sweet chestnut secured 3rd place (13%).