Latvia comes fourth in European tree contest

A 400-year-old Lithuanian oak has been named the "European Tree of the Year 2026." Venerable trees nominated by 12 countries, including Latvia, were evaluated. The Latvian entry came in fourth, Latvian Television reports.

The majestic oak stands in the village of Rukai, in the Skuodas district of northwestern Lithuania. For many years, the oak was nearly forgotten, but people came together, began to care for it, and gave new life to the tree, which has witnessed countless events during its 400-year lifespan.

The giant tree has become a gathering place for the villagers, and festivals are celebrated beneath its lush branches. The oak was once planted by a family whose descendants still live in a nearby house, and six generations have grown up alongside the oak.

Second place went to Slovakia’s entry, third to the Polish elm.

Meanwhile, Latvia’s representative—the Valdemārpils Elku Linden—came in 4th place. This was Latvia’s fifth time participating in the contest, and it marks its highest achievement to date.

The winner was determined by an online vote. This year, the organisers introduced a new scoring system that allocated votes based on each country’s population to give smaller countries a fairer chance. The changes were introduced after tree enthusiasts in Poland and Spain got into a heated argument last year over which country’s tree should win.