TWO trees in Scotland, including one that survived a lightning strike and the other an Oasis concert, have been shortlisted for the UK’s Tree of the Year.
Public voting opens on Wednesday for the Woodland Trust’s annual competition, which aims to celebrate and raise awareness for rare, ancient or at-risk trees across the country.
Among the final 10 contenders for the title is the “Earlstoun Lightning Oak” in Dumfries and Galloway that survived a lightning strike.
The Balloch Castle ash, standing on the lawn of the semi-derelict castle by Loch Lomond, was selected as this year’s wildcard by the public.
More than 150 years old, the tree has also experienced a lightning strike, along with multiple storms, ash dieback, footfall from millions of visitors, and an Oasis concert.
The other wildcard is the Donnington Oak, in West Berkshire, which stands between a small patch of forest and the ruined walls of Donnington Castle and, as a young but established tree during the English Civil War, seems to have survived unscathed the castle’s gruelling siege and bombardment.
The trees have been chosen to help highlight nature’s great survivors in line with this year’s theme “against all odds”.
Actor and nature podcaster David Oakes, who is a Woodland Trust ambassador, said: “Most things survive by fleeing.
“A tree, rooted for life to a single patch of ground, doesn’t get that option.
“So trees have perfected the opposite: the art of weathering whatever arrives. But a few are frankly show-offs.
“The 10 nominees for Tree of the Year have all defied the odds in extraordinary ways, from clinging to cliffs and church towers, to enduring collisions and cannonballs.”
Of the 10 shortlisted, a panel of experts selected eight trees of differing ages and species, while the public chose two as a wildcard entry.
The public can vote for their favourite tree until late September via the Woodland Trust website, and the winner will be announced in early October – before progressing to represent the UK in the European Tree of the Year finals.
Other entries include an oak tree in Rutland that faced a crash from a Second World War bomber, a downy birch clinging to a cliff in County Durham and a yew in East Sussex that could be 4000 years old and was hit by a cannonball in the English Civil War.
May Chemais, who runs the Ancient Tree Inventory at the Woodland Trust, said: “Trees can be both tough and flexible, as the shortlist proves.”
“We hope people will enjoy discovering all the incredible stories of resilience behind our nominees this year,” she added.
