That the Parliament wishes the Earlstoun Lightning Oak, which is near St John’s Town of Dalry in Dumfries and Galloway, the very best of luck in the Woodland Trust’s UK Tree of the Year 2026 competition; notes that voting closes at 5pm on 29 September; celebrates its selection as one of two trees shortlisted from Scotland; understands that the oak is believed to be more than 475-years-old and was recorded in the 1850s as the "Big Oak of Earlstoun"; notes that it survived the felling of the surrounding ancient woodland and continues to stand, despite losing a major limb to a lightning strike; recognises its distinctive angled trunk and the scar running from the damaged limb to the ground as symbols of its remarkable resilience; believes that ancient and veteran trees are an irreplaceable part of Scotland’s natural and cultural heritage, that they provide habitats for wildlife and connect communities to their local history, and congratulates everyone involved in securing the Earlstoun Lightning Oak’s place on the shortlist.
Supported by: Colin Beattie, Amanda Bland, Ariane Burgess, Duncan Dunlop, Mark Ruskell