Woodland Trust Shortlists UK Trees Rooted in Culture for 2025 Award

The Woodland Trust has announced the shortlist for Tree of the Year 2025, highlighting trees deeply rooted in cultural history and creative inspiration across the UK. Notable nominees include the Knole Park oak, believed to have inspired Virginia Woolf’s "Orlando," the 2,000-year-old Borrowdale Yews described by William Wordsworth, and a cedar tree famously climbed by The Beatles. The competition's theme, "Rooted in Culture," celebrates how these rare, ancient, or at-risk trees have influenced literature, music, and historical events. Dame Judi Dench, patron of the Woodland Trust, emphasized the trees' significance, saying they hold more stories than Shakespeare and are integral to the nation’s heritage. The winner will be announced in September and will represent the UK in the European Tree of the Year finals, with voting having recently opened to the public. The shortlist also includes the Wilfred Owen sycamore in Edinburgh and the Tree of Peace and Unity in Northern Ireland, symbolizing reconciliation.