Let’s meet the European Tree of 2021

The emblematic tree from the town of Lecina (Huesca) competed for the European Tree Award against 14 other specimens from all over the continent. Finally, with a total of 104,264 votes in its favor, it was crowned with the 2021 title as the most voted tree in the history of the contest, distancing itself by more than 26,000 votes from the second most voted tree, The thousand-year-old plane tree of Curinga (Italy), with 78,210 votes.

The millenary Carrasca of Lecina is one of its species that was saved from being cut down for the production of charcoal in the region of Huesca. Legend has it that in the times when witches populated the Sierra de Guara, they danced and celebrated around the Carrasca. A thousand years later, the residents of the small village of Bárcabo, in the Sobrarbe region, continue to choose this particular tree for their celebrations, and to this day it is still the scene of important events and pacts.

The uniqueness of the Carrasca lies in its spectacular dimensions and vigor, as well as its longevity. It is a majestic holm oak over 16 meters high, 7 meters in perimeter and 615 square meters of shade, standing out among specimens of the same species. It has a wide and irregular crown. Its leaves are elliptical, rounded in outline, with a slightly serrated or thorny edge and a dark and intense green color on the upper side, but whitish on the underside.

The aim of the European Tree of the Year is to highlight interesting old trees as an important natural and cultural heritage that we should appreciate and protect. In the European Tree of the Year, unlike other competitions, it is not the beauty, size or age that is important, but the history and connection to people.