Voting for Tree of the Year 2016 was launched at the Pohoda festival
Until the end of September 2016, anyone interested can send their vote for any one of the twelve trees, the 12 Tree of the Year finalists, and to support care and attention of the winning tree. The aim of the contest organised by the Ekopolis Foundation, which is in its fourteenth year, is to highlight old, rare and endangered trees and arouse people’s interest in the environment. The winning tree will represent Slovakia in the European Tree of the Year contest. The main partners are the Slovak Savings Bank Foundation and the Slovak Environmental Agency. The contest is further supported by ISA Slovensko (International Society of Arboriculture), Dajama publishing house, Artforum bookstore and ABIES Garden Centre. For the fifth year running, the patron of the contest is the singer Peter Lipa.
Individuals, municipalities, schools, companies or organizations are eligible to nominate their favourite tree for the contest. In early June, the contest commission selected the 12 finalists from the 50 nominated trees. Public voting for the winner was launched July 7, 2016 at the Pohoda festival in Trenčín and runs until the end of September 2016. You can vote either on a ballot paper, SMS, at www.ekopolis.sk and also on Facebook – www. facebook.com/nadacia.ekopolis. Photos and stories of the finalist trees are published on the Ekopolis Foundation website. In October, the competition will be judged and the tree with the most votes is awarded the title Tree of the Year 2016.
The winning tree receives an award in the form of a dendrological testimonial from ISA Slovensko and a financial contribution of € 200 towards the treatment and care of the tree. The trees placed 2nd and 3rd also receive € 200, which can be used for treatment of the tree or work on the surrounding area. Three each from the nominating groups and voters are also presented with a book token from Artforum. The first three schools that collect the most votes receive planting materials to the sum of € 500 from ABIES.
12 finalists in the Tree of the Year contest 2016:
| Type of tree | Location | Age of tree | |
| 1. | Cherry | Lehota pod Vtáčnikom, Previdza district | 100 years old |
| 2. | Turkey oak | Šurianky, Nitra district | 150 years old |
| 3. | Small-leaved linden | Spišské Bystré, Poprad district | 200 years old |
| 4. | Large-leaved linden | Cigeľ, Prievidza district | 500 years old |
| 5. | Field maple | Kokošovce, Prešov district | 250 years old |
| 6. | London planetree | Budatín, Žilina district | 270 years old |
| 7. | White willow | Nižná Myšľa, Košice district | 42 years old |
| 8. | Small-leaved linden | Smrdáky, Senica district | 300 years old |
| 9. | European horse chestnut | Malý Cetín, Nitra district | 165 years old |
| 10. | London planetree | Tornaľa, Revúca district | 300 years old |
| 11. | Copper beech | Hermanovce, Prešov district | 200 years old |
| 12. | European wild pear | Lovčica-Trubín, Žiar nad Hronom district | 120 years old |