On this page you can learn about Comox Valley Nature’s past Tree of the Year and Trees of the Year (TOTY) events and access the treasure trove of information accumulated during those events.
Evolution of the event
From 2018 until 2023, the Tree of the Year event was a contest to identify and highlight individual trees of significant interest or importance or beauty in the Comox Valley. The goal of the events was to foster a strong connection with nature, increase awareness of cherished local trees, and raise interest in the value and protection of trees, especially native trees.
Initially, the contest was for CVN members, but soon it opened to take nominations from the public. To determine the winning tree, the early contests were judged by a panel of CVN experts, then subsequently we held a public vote. The nominator of the winning tree received a gift basket (and the glory!). Starting in 2021, the nominator also received a tree-themed painting by a CVN member which they could enjoy in their home for one year.
Although a winning tree was chosen during those years, the emphasis was always on appreciating all the nominated trees. To this end, the TOTY team mapped out and promoted touring routes to help people find and appreciate the trees in person, with an emphasis on cycle touring. To find information about the tour routes, follow the links in the table below.
In 2024, the event evolved from a contest into an event that only celebrated all the nominated trees and did not include a vote or a single winner. Accordingly, the event name became Trees of the Year.
Then in 2025, the event evolved further to focus on public education about trees and did not include nominations of individual trees. A series of “knowledge walks” led by experts enabled participants to enter more deeply into the worlds of tree biology and ecology.
This approach continued, with additions, in 2026, which led the team to rename themselves and the events as Comox Valley Trees (CVT). In addition to knowledge walks, the team brought back a process for public submissions, starting with a celebration of autumn with an emphasis on people’s stories of special trees.
The CVT team looks forward to continuing to promote the understanding and love of trees in Comox Valley.
Discover Comox Valley’s special trees
Below, you can access the full descriptions and suggested tour routes for all the trees nominated during the history of TOTY events from 2020 on:
| Year | Tree Descriptions | Tour Routes |
| 2020 | descriptions | routes |
| 2021 | descriptions | routes |
| 2022 | descriptions | routes |
| 2023 | descriptions | routes |
| 2024 | descriptions | routes |
Note: The 2018 and 2019 contests used paper nomination forms which are not available online.
Gallery of winning trees (2018 to 2023)
[Click a photo to enlarge it.]
