Saved ancient Welsh tree crowned as Tree of the Year

A giant ancient Welsh oak tree that was under threat of being felled in 2009 to make way for a road development has been crowned Tree of the Year.  The competition is run by the Woodland Trust charity. When the tree, known as The Brimmon Oak, came under threat seven years ago, local farmer Mervyn Jones on whose farm the tree stands, started a campaign to save the tree. This resulted in the Welsh Government agreeing to vary the route of the road to save the tree.

The 500 year old Brimmon Oak is located near the town of  Newtown (Welsh: Y Drenewydd), Powys, Mid Wales and has a circumference of more than 19.6ft (6m). The crowning not only represents a fine tribute to this great Welsh ancient tree. It is also a tribute to local campaigners who petitioned and worked so hard to save it. It is an example to everyone that when something is worth saving then it is worth fighting for. Particularly true at this time when the spectre of greed fuelled over development stalks all of the Celtic lands.