A Long Branch Applebee Catalpa tree like this one is a contender to win the Ontario Tree Pageant.
A leafy Long Branch beauty has been nominated as a contestant in the annual Ontario Tree Pageant. That’s right there is one.
A Long Branch Heritage Applebee Catalpa tree, located at Twenty Third Street and Iris Road, is also a candidate for the cherished ‘Tree of the Year.’
The 127-year-old Applebee Catalpa was designated a Heritage Tree by Forests Ontario, said Long Branch historian Bill Zufelt.
‘The tree is a ‘real show stopper’ and getting better with age too,” said Zufelt.
He said the 70- foot high Northern Catalpa is located on lands that once belonged to Moses Applebee the first Ward 1 Councillor for the Township of Etobicoke. The Applebee family immigrated from Yorkshire, England in the early 1800s.
The iconic Black Barn Maple tree is one of the many trees more than 100-years old in Long Branch.
Today the healthy tree stands more than 70 feet high and with a magnificent 40-foot canopy.
Nominees are required to send a photo and 30-word note on their prized tree to a selection committee, whose tree-expert judges will announce their top three trees on September 15.
“The story is evaluated for creativity, depth of meaning, and its ability to convey why the nominated tree is special, with emphasis on compelling storytelling within the word limit,” according to pageant website.
The first place winner receives $500; with $250 for second and $100 for third places. The nominated trees are featured on a Tree Trust website in a ‘virtual runway’ of entries, organizers said.
We are blessed to have this many giant air-purifying trees in our community.
Zufelt said Long Branch is home of a ‘Fab Four’ of heritage trees, which are dubbed Big Red, Titan, Stop26 and the Applebbee Catalpa Heritages Trees.
The pageant highlights Ontario’s diverse urban canopy and encourages community appreciation for local trees, fostering environmental awareness and connections.
The Long Branch area has a rich history and many 100 plus year old trees that they would like protected under the Forests Ontario Heritage designation.
The deadline for this year has passed, but if you want to nominate a tree, e-mail a photo, the location of the tree and what you know of it’s story to longbranchnato@gmail.com or provide details and they will review and get the nomination process started for all potential candidates.