For the tenth consecutive year, there has been a voting to select the tree which will represent Bulgaria in the competition "European Tree of the Year", which ends in spring 2020, announcing the winner at the European Parliament headquarters. The Bulgarian competition is called "A Tree with Roots" and is in line with the aspirations of the organizers from the Eco-Community Foundation to present the most significant and beloved trees to the Bulgarians from different parts of the country. These are not necessarily the oldest, tallest or most valuable and rare species, but just those trees that bring people together and unite them, say the organizers of the competition. Such are the 24 trees approved to compete for the title of Tree of the Year. The big winner among them is the five-centuries-old oak tree from the village of Novo Selo near Veliko Turnovo. It was selected among the ten finalists to continue in the next few years to compete for the title. Among the trees from the final selection are a black pine tree from Smolyan, a centuries-old beech tree from the region of Gabrovo, a plane tree from Gotse Delchev, a very old boxwood tree from Kazanlak and others. Out of 3,000 votes cast for all participants, the century-old oak tree from Novo Selo received 1,073 votes in the online voting period.

The mayor of Novo Selo, Hristo Hristov, expressed his special gratitude to the young people and children who were very active in supporting the old oak tree when they learned that it was competing in the race.

“We've been following this competition for several years and wanted to participate, but we kept putting it off. This old oak has an interesting story. A long time ago our old village was situated about 2-3 km away from its current location. It was on the road between Sevlievo and Veliko Tarnovo. A very lively road connecting Svishtov (on the Danube) and Constantinople passed by the village, so the homes of our ancestors were repeatedly robbed by outlaws. The place where our village lies now used to be a thick oak forest and swamps. The most courageous of the village residents turned out to be a woman who moved her home into the woods. Gradually, other people followed her and over time, only this oak tree remained from the oak forest. To this day, it is the only surviving witness to the events of 270 years and more ago. A few years ago, we planted a young oak tree next to the old one. Our idea was that while the old oak tree was still alive and kept its history under its bark, it could pass it on to the young tree. This is how we want to bequeath to the generations to come this tree, a symbol of our village and of the whole community, which must continue to live in unison and consensus, as it always has been. Thank you to the Eco Community Foundation for this award! In our face, they have friends and partners because the cause is very valuable and worth working for”.

The practical benefit of the winner tree is that it will receive expert diagnostics from specialists at the Association of Arborists in Bulgaria. They will give their recommendations for better care in preserving the tree. And now young and old in the village are preparing for a Christmas party, again around the dignified oak. A folklore program will evoke the Christmas spirit and good mood there, there will be gifts for the little ones, and thus the idea of ​​“a tree with roots” will yield ample fruit in the future.

English Rossitsa Petcova