For the first time, Latvia will take part in the “European Tree of the Year” competition. Our country will be represented in February by the “Aģe Great Oak” with its story; it had become overgrown with bushes during the long years of Soviet occupation, but once the family reclaimed the property, it was brought back into the light. This tree story competition has been running on a European scale since 2002.
“This oak was discovered by my father, Kārlis, when he was a shepherd boy during the time of the first Republic of Latvia. And when we reclaimed our family estate “Medņi”, we went to see how it was doing. It had grown impressively, although it had become overgrown with bushes, which have now been cleared. But that is how my father found his childhood oak,” said Ivars Šmits.
With this story, Vidriži parish resident Ivars Šmits took part in the first ever “European Tree of the Year in Latvia” competition organised this year. He is also the initiator of the Power Oak movement.