The Comox Valley Nature 2024 Trees of the Year (TOTY) event will commence accepting nominations on Feb. 1.
The event aims to showcase individual trees of significant interest, importance, or beauty in the Comox Valley, celebrating the community’s profound connection to nature. The initiative also strives to raise awareness about the social, environmental, and economic benefits of trees.
Residents of the Comox Valley are invited to nominate their favourite tree within the Comox Valley Regional District boundaries during the nomination phase, which spans from Feb. 1 to March 31.
For those unsure about which tree to nominate, CVN suggests exploring the cycle routes provided on the website during the nomination phase. These routes are designed to guide individuals to areas rich in trees, identified throughout the region and integrated into cycling paths. The routes offer opportunities for observation, discovery, and active exploration of trees.
To learn more about the nomination process, access the online nomination form, and explore cycle tour maps, visit the CVN TOTY website at www.cvnature.ca/treeoftheyear.
Following the closure of nominations on March 31, CVN encourages participants to engage in the touring phase. The website will be regularly updated with photographs and descriptions of all nominated trees, and an online map will indicate their locations. Unlike previous years, the focus of the event is on appreciating, documenting, and valuing all nominated trees without selecting a ‘winner.’
Throughout the event, articles, posts, and tree tours will showcase the stories of the trees. On June 1, a random drawing will determine one nominator who will receive a small prize.
CVN looks forward to hearing the stories of the community’s most notable trees.