HOT ON the heels of being crowned the UK’s Tree of the Year at the end of last year, a 480-year old Sweet Chestnut tree in Wrexham’s Acton Park is in the running to be crowned European Tree of the Year.

The stately tree is well loved by locals for its history, value and beauty - and is often used as the centrepiece of picnics and local tree parties.

It previously secured 17% of the overall votes for the Woodland Trust’s 2023 UK ‘Tree of the Year’ competition, which focused on celebrating ancient and veteran trees in urban spaces across the UK.

The tree itself has an impressive circumference of 6.1m and a height of 24m. 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 Welsh public is encouraged to vote for the Wrexham Sweet Chestnut and help to crown it 2024’s European Tree of the Year. Voting opens on February 1.

To vote, visit www.treeoftheyear.org

The Wrexham Council is celebrating the achievements of Acton Park by hosting two fantastic events: The Acton Park Dog Show on February 11 and the Love your Trees Valentines Special on February 14.

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With Acton Park being heavily used by local dog walkers, the dog show event will take place right in front of the Sweet Chestnut tree, while the valentine event will encourage families and couples to visit twelve significant trees around the park.

The European Tree of the Year contest originated in 2011 and was inspired by the popular Tree of the Year contest organised in the Czech Republic.

Trees are well-known and celebrated in Wrexham. In 2022 Coed Cadw (the Woodland Trust in Wales) awarded a total of £294,845 from its Emergency Tree Fund to Wrexham County Borough Council to support the Wrexham Forest partnership project, which seeks to increase trees and woodland across the county.