The Elm of Navajas is located right in the centre of Navajas, a village near Valencia in the East of Spain. The tree is one of the main attractions of the area, as it is the only elm in Europe which has existed for 382 years. Many elms across Europe have been decimated by the Dutch Elm Disease, a fungal disease specific to these trees.
The elm won the first part of the selection against ten other Spanish trees through a local vote last November. FSC Spain is one of the sponsors promoting the tree to win the competition.
This ninth European Tree of the Year competition highlights the important role trees play in the natural and cultural heritage of Europe as well as the ecosystem services they offer.
Voting is open until 28 February 2019. The results will officially be announced at the award ceremony in Brussels on 19 March.
Fifteen trees – including the Elm of Navajas – are competing for the award this year. Each tree comes from a different European country. Other represented countries include Poland, France, Russia, United Kingdom and Croatia.
Click here to vote.