The 2023 Tree of the Year competition was won by Szekszárd Remete Berkenye with 5,322 votes, and the Hero Tree title went to the Győrszentiván oak.
The National Forestry Association’s Special Award went to the ‘Century’ willow tree from Újtikos.
According to the organizers, 21 candidates entered the competition this year, of which the professional jury selected 9 finalists, for whom the public can vote online between July 1 and October 1. A total of 12,762 tree votes were obtained.
The winning environment of the Szekszárd Hermitage Berkenye, the organizers write, is full of sacredness. The local rowan tree, which can now be called rare, is subject to nature conservation protection.
The jury awarded the title of Hős Fa of the Year 2023 to the oak tree from Győrszentiván. The primary school there has set up an educational pathway to showcase the values of the area, and last year the oak was declared a protected natural area of local importance.
This award-winning special willow tree is located at the northernmost tip of Bihar’s Hajdu district, in the Haidonanas district, in the orchard behind Hunyadi Street in Ujticus village. Several generations have been able to enjoy the shade provided by the gnarled willow tree, many people have climbed it, and it remains a forgotten gaming place today.
The organizers of the Tree of the Year competition also published the list of finalists in order:
1st place Szekszárdi Hermitage Berkenyeje – 5322 votes
2nd place Győrszentiváni oak – 3934 votes
3rd place Old Man, Tokaj’s beloved wild pear tree – 1,106 votes
4th place: Hundred-year-old willow tree in Ujticos – 801 votes
5th place Olympia Park Sycamore – 680 votes
6th place: Vadnai Csakazértis Batul apple tree, symbol of endurance – 443 votes
7th place Turkish hazelnut tree from Sajóörös – 200 votes
8th place: King Matthias of Tissigari – 155 votes
9th place: Freeport plane tree – 121 votes
“Through the competition, which has been organized every year since 2010, the Okotars Foundation wants to draw attention to the trees that live in our immediate environment and to the importance of nature in general and its role in our daily lives. Any community can nominate a tree or group of trees that is dear to them, which has An interesting history that plays a role in the lives of the people around it.Hungary’s Pain of the Year
