MEMBERS of the public are being invited to vote for their favourite tree in Cumbria.

An ash tree struck by lightning near Coniston, a vivid red maple in the grounds of the former Charlotte Mason College in Ambleside and a giant cedar tree in the grounds of a hotel - all from the Kendal and South Lakes area - are in the running to win the accolade Cumbria’s Top Tree.

From today (March 1) members of the public from the Kendal and South Lakes area can vote for their favourite tree in the county via the Cumbria’s Top 50 Trees website www.cumbriastop50trees.org.uk

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They can also vote at an exhibition about the Heritage Lottery Fund project which runs in Kendal’s Brewery Arts Centre from May 1 – 15.

“The winning tree will represent Cumbria in national and international tree competitions which are great opportunities to put our county’s amazing tree heritage on the map,” said project co-ordinator Iris Glimmerveen.

Over the last year members of the public have been nominating favourite trees which have now been whittled down to a final 50.

Nominations included deeply personal and moving accounts of people’s attachment to certain trees.

“It is these stories and individuals’ affection for specific trees that makes this project so unique,” said Iris.

Trees from the Kendal and South Lakes area include:

  • An ash tree at Coniston that was damaged by lightning inspired one cancer sufferer – who has since sadly died – to battle her illness;
  • A red maple in Ambleside that glows in the sun during autumn thrills a local businesswoman on her commute to work;
  • A giant cedar tree near Windermere, which gives the Cedar Manor Hotel its name, enchants everyone who sees it.

Mrs Glimmerveen said one of the most surprising elements of the project was that so few well-known iconic trees in Cumbria were nominated.

“Most of the nominations were trees that I have never heard of but which people nevertheless felt attached to," she said.

“As a key aim of Cumbria’s Top 50 Trees is to encourage local authorities, landowners and official bodies to look after individual trees, this gives real power to the argument that any tree, anywhere, no matter how big or small, can matter to someone and should be protected.’’

Voting will run from March 1 to May 31.

The winning tree will be announced in June when a special commemorative book and map of Cumbria’s Top 50 Trees will be published.