A TOWN tree could be crowned the best in Wales with public support.

The black poplar tree in Newtown’s Gravel Lane car park has been nominated by the town council to become Wales’ Tree of the Year.

An annual competition organised by the Woodland Trust, it is designed to highlight and celebrate the best trees in the country.

It is being supported by the award winning horticulturalist and TV personality David Domoney.

A carefully chosen panel of eager and knowledgeable judges spent hours debating the positives of the many trees nominated to find some of the very best trees that Wales has to offer. Seven visually stunning trees, all with wonderful stories, have made the shortlist.

The poplar is up against six other trees across Wales and Mayor of Newtown, Cllr David Selby, has highlighted the uniqueness of the poplar, in that it has moved from one side of the river to the other.

He said: “This tree is a prominent feature of Newtown town centre.

“The black poplar is one of Britain’s rarest and most endangered native species in uncultivated environments, with fewer than 3,000 in Britain.

“Rarely can it be said that a tree has moved from one side of the river to another. Following great floods in 1960 and 1964, flood prevention works diverted the course of the river so the tree originally on north riverbank is now on the south.

“Later, after representation by the town council, it survived plans to fell and tarmac the site.

“In 2016 the town council took action to preserve the gene line by propagating cuttings with co-operation of a local garden centre – a story of survival.”

TV personality David Domoney said: “The Woodland Trust’s Tree of the Year celebrates the marvel and beauty of trees in our country. They are such an important part of our cities and countryside, not only for their beauty, but also for the health benefits they offer to all living creatures.”

n You can throw your support behind Newtown’s black poplar by going online to woodlandtrust.org.uk/treeoftheyear to vote it as Wales’s Tree of the Year for 2019.