Local councillor welcomes ‘Tree of the Year’ award for Acton Park’s Sweet Chestnut
A local councillor has welcomed news that a Sweet Chestnut in Acton Park has been crowed “Tree of the Year’.
The 480-year-old tree secured 17 per cent of the public vote in the Woodland Trust competition.
Welcoming the news Borras councillor Debbie Wallice said: “What fantastic news for our community.
“It’s wonderful to see this beautiful 480 year old tree recognised for all its glory.
“This award is a tribute to our community — to those who have cared for this tree over its half millennia. Here’s to the next 500 years.”
This year’s Woodland Trust competition focused on celebrating ancient and veteran trees in urban spaces across the UK, with the best trees in city parks, towns, and residential streets in the running.
Previous winners of the competition include the Sycamore Gap tree at Hadrian’s wall, which took the title in 2016 before it was felled in September 2023.
The tree in the heart of Acton Park is well loved by locals for its history, value and beauty – with the tree measuring an impressive circumference of 6.1m and a height of 24m.
This suggests that the tree has been standing for around 480 years.
It has withstood many challenges during its half-millennium, from post-war plundering of the park for firewood in the forties to dozens of deadly storms, including that of 2021 when many neighbouring trees lost limbs or were toppled completely.
The Sweet Chestnut tree will now go on to represent the UK in the European Tree of the Year contest.
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