ragnhildur

The Tree of the Year 2017 is a European beech in the public park Hellisgerði in Hafnarfjörður. Beech is a very rare tree species in Iceland, as it generally prefers a much warmer and longer summer than is usually on offer in Iceland. The Hellisgarði park was established in 1922. Little information exists on the early cultivation efforts there. The tree was measured at the nomination ceremony and turned out to be 9,05 m in height, with a circumference of 1,3 m.

Location on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/4vAnNdPQrKxpi7i59

An article (in Icelandic) from Skógræktarritið – The Journal of the Icelandic Forestry Association about the tree (here).

The Tree of the Year 2016 is a black cottonwood in the garden of Garðastræti 11a (a house known as Hákot) in Reykjavík. Cottonwood is very common in Reykjavík, having been extensively planted in the 1970’s – 1990’s. Its popularity stemmed from the fact that it was quick growing (becoming a “tree” fairly soon) and easily propagated. Like other trees in the city cottonwoods reduce winds and is a good air purifier. good tree for reducing wind in the city and.  The cottonwood tree at Hákot originally stood in the garden of Garðastræti 9 and was most likely planted sometime between 1952-1956. The old house at Garðastræti was moved in 1985 to make way for new building. The building work began in July 1986 with the clearing out of the vegetation in the garden. The owner of Garðastræti 11a, Ragnhildur Þorláksdóttir, pleaded with the contractors to spare the tree and give her time to contact the head of municipal gardens in Reykjavík. After a little back and forth the result was that the tree was moved to her garden, where she has taken care of it since. Measurements at the nomination ceremony showed the tree to be 17,5 m in height, with a trunk circumference of 180 cm at chest height.

Location on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/gwGdMaWqAKUcdS9PA

An article (in Icelandic) from Skógræktarritið – The Journal of the Icelandic Forestry Association about the tree (here).

The Tree of the Year 2015 is a rowan tree standing at the site of the farm Sandfell in Öræfi. It is the first rowan to be nominated. Rowan is one of the three tree species native to Iceland and has long been a popular garden tree. The rowan tree at Sandfell was planted in 1923 by the sister-in-law of the farmer at Sandfell, who got it sent from a friend of hers in Egilsstaðir. The farm has been abandoned since 1947 and the farmhouse was torn down in 1974, so the rowan tree is a living remnant of past times. The tree stands by itself, surrounded by grassland and framed by gray mountain slopes in the background, making it a well know landmark in the area. The rowan splits into seven trunks, with a trunk circumference (as measured at the nomination ceremony) between 90-150 cm. The height turned about to be 11,98 m.

Location on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/ScvAeszCDXeDsrgYA

An article (in Icelandic) from Skógræktarritið – The Journal of the Icelandic Forestry Association about the tree (here).

A European larch at the farm Arnarholt was nominated as the Tree of the Year 2014. The farm has existed since settlement times in the 9^th century, so has a long-standing history. The tree was planted in 1909, making it over a century old. It most likely came from the plant nursery at Rauðavatn near Reykjavík. It stands on a steep slope, facing southwest in a grove of trees of different species (e.g. Siberian larch, rowan and birch), some planted at the same time but others much younger (e.g. Norway spruce). The farmers at Arnarholt always took good care of the grove of trees. The larch tree was measured at the nomination ceremony and turned out to be 15,2 m in height, with a trunk circumference of 2 m at 60 cm height.

Location on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/9Ekw4zHn6BdQqMQ97

An article (in Icelandic) from Skógræktarritið – The Journal of the Icelandic Forestry Association about the tree (here).

The Tree of the Year 2013 is a black cottonwood on the farm Freyshólar in Fljótsdalur and is the first cottonwood nominated. Black cottonwood is one of the most common tree species planted in Iceland – it grows quickly and is easy to produce. For this reason, it became one of the most common garden trees in the 1970’s. Due to how large it grows and its extensive root system its popularity as a garden tree has waned, but it has been planted extensively in forestry since the 1990’s, as it has one of the highest timber yield per hectare of the trees growing in Iceland. The tree at Freyshólar is most likely derived from material gathered on the Kenai peninsula in Alaska. It was planted in 1953 by twin brothers Baldur and Bragi Jónsson, who worked their entire careers for the Icelandic Forestry Service. Some manure was added to the soil when the tree was planted but received no further fertilizer after that. The tree has thrived nonetheless, as the soils at Freyshólar are deep and fertile. Measurements at the nomination ceremony put its height at 17,5 m with a trunk diameter of 50,5 cm at chest height.

Location on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/opdQYLgZQkCRzGHX6

An article (in Icelandic) in Skógræktarritið – The Journal of the Icelandic Forestry Association about the tree (here).

The Tree of the Year 2012 is a grey poplar in the garden of Brekkugata 8 in Akureyri. Grey poplar is a hybrid of common aspen (Populus tremula) and silver poplar (Populus alba) and is a popular garden tree in Europe but not very common in Iceland. The house at Brekkugata was originally built in 1925. In 1929 it was purchased by the merchant Axel Kristjánsson and turned out to be badly built, requiring extensive repairs that started in 1934. Axel’s daughter believes the tree was planted after the rebuild, either in 1934 or 1935. Where it originally came from is not known. The poplar takes more after the silver poplar side of the family in terms of leaf shape and colour. It also has a very rough bark, with thick grooves. The tree was measured at the nomination ceremony and was found to be 13,55 m in height, with a trunk circumference of 2,3 m at chest height.

Location on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/v4kXFk28sVyXXoYj6

An article (in Icelandic) from Skógræktarritið – The Journal of the Icelandic Forestry Association about the tree (here).

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An alpine laburnum at Greniteigur 9 in Reykjanesbær was selected as the Tree of the Year 2011. Alpine laburnums have proven themselves to be relatively hardy, both in terms of wind and salt, although they grow better and flower more in more sheltered areas. Laburnum trees in Iceland are known to reach up to 10 m in height and frequently sporting many trunks and a large crown, with yellow clusters of flowers. Consequently, they are a fairly popular garden tree in Iceland. The tree at Greniteigur was planted in 1958 or 1959 by the couple who built the house in 1956 and was a few years old at the time of planting. The lady, Sigrún Guðjónsdóttir, was still living in the house at the time of the nomination. The tree was formally measured at the nomination and turned about to be 7,35 m in height and splits into six trunks at about 50 cm height, with the largest trunk having a diameter of 22,2 cm.

Location on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/U9ijeJ4szVg8FEE57

An article (in Icelandic) from Skógræktarritið – The Journal of the Icelandic Forestry Association about the tree (here).

The Tree of the Year 2010 is a wych elm standing in the garden at Heiðarvegur 35 in the Vestmannaeyjar (Vestmann Islands) off the south coast of Iceland. The islands have a reputation for being difficult for tree growth, due to high winds and salt from the ocean, although severe cold (frost and snow) is rare.  The tree is believed to have been planted in 1945, by the lady of the house. In addition to the severe wind conditions the tree has also survived the volcanic eruption in Vestmannaeyjar in 1973, which destroyed or damaged around half the houses in the town of Vestmanneyjar. The tree was measured at the time of the nomination and was 6,5 m in height. The tree splits into six main trunks, with the largest one being 17,5 cm in diameter.

Location on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/nw6nk4QJvwvxgpUB8

An article (in Icelandic) from Skógræktarritið – The Journal of the Icelandic Forestry Association about the tree (here).

The Tree of the Year 2009 is a silver birch in the forest of Kjarnaskógur in north Iceland. Kjarnaskógur is varied recreation forest on the outskirts of the town of Akureyri, hosting many different tree species. The silver birch stands framed by a grove of sitka spruce trees. Its exact origins are not known, but it was probably planted in the early 1970’s and is most likely of Norwegian stock. At the time of the nomination the tree was measured at 10,95 m in height, with a trunk diameter around 20 cm at chest height (1,3 m).

Location on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/PGzshT1cHY3TZxtN8

An article (in Icelandic) from Skógræktarritið – The Journal of the Icelandic Forestry Association about the tree (here).

In 2008 a sycamore at Borgarbraut 27 in Borgarnes was nominated as the Tree of the Year. The purple-leaf variant of sycamore trees is rare in Iceland and this tree is a particularly fine example of the type. The tree was planted sometime in 1923-1925. It was measured at the nomination ceremony and was 8,83 m in height, with a circumference of 166 cm at 50 cm height.

Location on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/9yury8SaurwFobU29

An article (in Icelandic) from Skógræktarritið – The Journal of the Icelandic Forestry Association about the tree (here).