I am thrilled to announce that Mali is this year’s winner (country division) of the 4th Centennial Global Tree Competition! It’s been a rousing century of cutbranch…er, cutthroat competition since the last Deciding Votes were cast (September 1914, GTC Society Phuket Conference).

Voting took ages (and I mean ages) as four generations of Contributing Judges reviewed and scored over a thousand entries. Every 25 years, competitors are ranked according to various qualifying criteria in their respective categories. In the 100th, Voting (or Deciding) Year, winners are selected by a team of Deciding Judges based on a century’s worth of careful deliberation. (The 100-year cycle allows for the full development of interested candidates). The categories are many, reflecting the global diversity of Trees: Best Single Deciduous, Best Tropical Ensemble, Best Forest (rainforest reps continue to lobby for a unique category), Most Significant Shade, Best Fruit-Bearing, Most Character, etc. Additional categories are geographic, by country, municipality, or region. And this year, Mali took the Country category by storm!

Just look at what Mali has to offer, in breadth and depth:

Incomparable character in the Standalone Division…

Riveting adaptations: Rural trees manage to camouflage themselves using nearby and natural materials…

The best in communication skills…

A remarkable multi-purpose functionality, as well as indefatigable neighborliness…

Great accomplishments in the Graceful Aging Division…

Frankly spectacular placement, aesthetics, and style…

Even the youth excel in accessorizing…

Unabashed pride amongst the off-season competitors (and rightly so!)…

Decidedly unique development and presentation…

And unparalleled shade to host all manner of activities.

These are the pre-ceremonial promo photos; more to come afterwards, when Mali’s trees have been celebrated by the Society in all their glory.
GTC Deciding Ceremonies are generally quite emotional events, not least because many Contributing Judges have passed. They are honored with much pomp and circumstance, as they deserve, for their unwavering dedication to the Silent Witnesses of the Ages.

Hope to see you there!