For the second consecutive year Ljubljana is choosing the Tree of the Year, which is going to serve as a representative of all other trees in the city for a whole year.

During the summer, we invited citizens to propose candidates for the Tree of 2020. We have received 29 suggestions, from which an expert jury has chosen seven finalists, and the final decision is again given to the citizens.

Which tree should be the Tree of 2020?

1. Horse chestnut at Parmova ulica

2. Weeping beech at Vodnikova cesta

3. Weeping Japanese pagoda tree at Barjanska cesta

4. Japanese pagoda tree in the Council of Europe Park

5. Common oak at Kolezija

6. Cherry at Gallusovo nabrežje

7. Nettle tree at Tabor (at the juncture of Vidovdanska ulica and Ilirska ulica)

Each tree in the competition for the title Tree of 2020 has its unique story. The voting is open until 20 November 2020, and the tree with most votes is going to be the representative of all other trees for a whole year.

You can vote here.

Significance of trees in the city

The main aim of the campaign is raising awareness on the significance of trees. By choosing the tree of the year we want to encourage the observation of trees and the understanding of the citizens how important they are for the quality of life in the city. The chosen tree is going to symbolically represent all other trees in the city for a whole year. This is the second year the campaign is held. Last year the title Tree of the Year was awarded to the sycamore tree at the juncture of Streliška ulica and Strossmayerjeva ulica. It is a tree of exceptional dimensions and is one of the oldest trees in the city.

Ljubljana as an internationally recognised Tree City

Ljubljana is recognized as a »Tree City« within the framework of the programme »Tree Cities of the World«. We have received this recognition from the Arbor Day Foundation and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), this way they are encouraging cities to care of their trees.

The presenters of the recognition underscored that Ljubljana with all its activities significantly contributes to the international efforts for the recognition of towns and cities striving toward proper care for forests and trees in cities and on the outskirts, their sustainable management and marking this appropriately.

Significance of city trees for the quality of life

The City of Ljubljana is aware of the immense importance of city trees, that is why we strive to preserve each and every tree in the city and we are also constantly planting new trees. Within the scope of regular maintenance of public green surfaces we plant from 300 to 600 trees as part of tree-rows each year. Numeroustrees are additionally planted within the framework of renovating streets, roads, parking lots and designing new surfaces. For instance, this year we have planted trees on renovated streets Trubarjeva ulica, Ulica talcev and Letališka cesta and on the new parking lot next to Tomačevska cesta. We are also taking care of fruit trees in city orchards and carrying out afforestation in forests. So far, we have planted over 40,000 trees, in total.