Dubrovnik, January 15, 2018

European Tree of the Year

The Public Institution for the Management of Protected Natural Areas of Dubrovnik-Neretva County, as the Croatian Coordinator of Competition of the European Tree of the Year, in cooperation with Dubrovnik-Neretva County and its partners held a press conference in Dubrovnik on January 15, 2018.

The conference was attended by Prefect Nikola Dobroslavić, Director of Public Institution Ivica Grilec as well as representatives of the partners of the Croatian Tree of the Year – Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Forestry of the University of Zagreb Prof. Mario Božić, Head of Forestry Directorate of Split Branch Ivan Melvan and a member of the Croatian Agrometeorological Society Ivo Đuračić. International Competition of the European Tree of the Year started in 2011 and consists of the winners of national competitions. The organizers of the competition are the Environmental Partnership Association, the European Landowners Organization and TeraPark, under the authority of the Commissioner of the European Commission for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Karmenu Vella.

The aim is to promote biodiversity and natural resources as well as trees and their stories as natural monuments that are rooted in the lives and work of people across the European Union. Croatia joined on October 24, 2017. However, due to the lack of time to implement the Croatian Tree of the Year, the Croatian direct candidate for European Tree for 2018 is Platanus orientalis L. at Trsteno near Dubrovnik which is protected in the category of park architecture monuments. It is over 500 years old and scientifically and culturally connects past with the present. That makes this tree recognizable symbol of Trsteno, but also the Croatian natural heritage.

The European Tree of the Year competition will last from 1st February to 21st March 2018, and on-line voting will be between 1st and 28th February 2018. We invite all members of the Croatian Agrometeorological Society as well as Croatian citizens to participate in the competition. More about the contest itself as well as the voting options can be seen on the web page www.treeoftheyear.org. At the end of the competition official award ceremony will take place in Brussels on March 21, 2018.

Marijana Miljas Đuračić

Translation:  Višnja Vučetić, PhD and Branimir Omazić

Participants of the press conference for the European Tree of the Year in Dubrovnik
January 15, 2018

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