Hawthorn on Scottish beach takes title tree of the year 2021

Tree of the Year 2021 winner is a hawthorn tree that stands alone on the coastline of the Solway Firth (Scottish Gaelic: Tràchd Romhra) in Kippford, Dalbeattie in Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland. The annual competition is organised by woodland conservation charity The Woodland Trust. Their aim is to highlight how trees for are vital for our landscapes and essential in the fight against the climate and nature crisis we are facing.

The hawthorn won with 38% of the vote. Trees in other Celtic lands took second and third places. In second place was a Monterey cypress tree planted on a beach in Saundersfoot, Pembrokeshire, Wales (Welsh: Llanusyllt, Sir Benfro, Cymru). This tree was saved from felling this year after a  public campaign. In third place, was a rare specimen of a parasol beech in Parkanaur Forest Park, which is in  County Tyrone, in the north of Ireland (Irish: Contae Thír Eoghain, Éire).

Image: Hawthorn tree in Scotland Tree of the Year 2021. Credit: Drew Patterson.