The Mayor’s Tree of the Year contest, a contest run by the Town of Chapel Hill to highlight important and meaningful trees in the community, is returning for a second year.
Chapel Hill Mayor Pam Hemminger said the contest is part of a larger celebration by the town to celebrate Arbor Day. States and towns all across the country celebrate Arbor Day on different dates, with Chapel Hill celebrating on Nov. 19.
“The goal is to plant 200 trees every year, and we usually surpass that, "Hemminger said. "The Tree of the Year contest is to help inspire people to notice their trees and take pride in them, and help encourage others to plant trees at the same time."
She also mentioned how important it is for the town to remain focused on the environment as Chapel Hill continues to expand.
“We love our trees in this community," Hemminger said. "It's a high priority. We’re trying to balance now with all of the development. We want to be sure we are balancing our green spaces and trees.”
The winner of the inaugural 2019 contest was a towering shagbark hickory located in the Meadowmont community, known as "Momma."
Bill Ferrell, manager of the Meadowmont Community Association, spoke about how important the tree has been to the community.
"She has been around for 80-90 years, and she actually got her name from the fact that we have taken saplings from her and planted them elsewhere around Meadowmont," Ferrell said. "She is the mother of dozens of trees.”
Michael Piehler, director of the UNC Institute for the Environment, said contests like the Tree of the Year can be very helpful for communities like Chapel Hill.
