Residents of Tatarstan can vote for Russian poplar on the site of the “European Tree of the Year 2020” contest
Voting in the framework of the “European Tree of the Year 2020” contest started on February 1, 2020 on the site https://www.treeoftheyear.org.
The Russian Federation is represented by laurel poplar, growing in the Khar-Buluk village of the Republic of Kalmykia. According to legend, this poplar was planted at the beginning of the XX century by a Buddhist monk. He brought seeds from Tibet, where he made a pilgrimage. The monk laid the seeds in a road stick and buried it on the highest point of the hill in the boundless steppe. Poplar turned into a gigantic tree with sprawling branches casting a thick shadow. Everyone who made long crossings on horses stopped here to rest and turned to the poplar with requests. Desires were fulfilled. The “Lonely Poplar” is revered in Kalmykia as a shrine, its age is 103 years.
It is worth noting that there is a unique tree that has the status of all-Russian significance “Tree is a monument of wildlife” in the Republic of Tatarstan. This is Siberian spruce (Picea obovata Ledeb.), growing on the territory of the state natural reserve of regional significance of the complex profile “Dolgaya Polyana”. The tree received status in 2012. The spruce is 132 years old and over 30 meters high.