We have European Tree of the Year 2024!
“The Heart of the Garden” beech growing in the Arboretum Wojsławice, a branch of the Botanical Garden of the University of Wrocław, has been selected as the European Tree of the Year 2024! The Tree of the Year 2024 statuettes ceremony was held on Wednesday, 20 March, at the European Parliament in Brussels.
The majestic tree, the European beech “Altropunicea” has a long history of over 200 years. As the name “The Heart of the Garden” suggests, it grows in the center of an old park which is the most precious part of Arboretum Wojsławice.
For years, it has been a quiet observer of the turbulent history that has been taking place in the lands of Lower Silesia, and, above all, in the park of Wojsławice. It is also one of the most preferably photographed trees in the Arboretum. The majority of the visitors, whose number is 130 000 per annum, have a picture with it or at least remember its remarkable image. Great tree delights with its leaves which are turning beautifully purple.
– In 2023, our beech won the Polish Tree of the Year Competition organized by Klub Gaja gaining 6643 votes and thus entered the European competition – explains prof. Zygmunt Kącki, the director of Arboretum Wojsławice, a branch of the Botanical Garden of the University of Wrocław. – The competition was very large, as it included 15 trees from various countries, including Lithuania, Latvia, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain and France.
In the online voting, “The Heart of the Garden” beech gained 39 158 votes and thereby was placed first. In second place was French beech from Bayeux with 24 807 votes, and in third place was olive tree with 13 933 votes.
– The competition is important because it has a large educational role. We read about trees and get to know them. This arouses environmental awareness and also contributes to the creation of positive attitudes – emphasizes prof. Zygmunt Kącki. – Whole communities, united by their love to nature, are fighting to make sure it is their tree that wins. And even though the beech of Wojsławice won by a significant margin, it is not really about the victory itself, but about bringing closer what surrounds us, what is most important to us – nature, and in this case, old, majestic trees that play a very large positive role, trees that we should respect and value for what they give us” – adds the director of Arboretum.
Starting 14 April, we invite you to Arboretum Wojsławice to admire this beautiful and majestic tree, that is “The Heart of the Garden.”
Informacje o Ogrodzie Botanicznym UWr
Translated by Martyna Mrugała (student of English Studies at the University of Wrocław) as part of the translation practice.
