The small village of Victoria-by-the-Sea has created something of a firestorm of public interest on the (Prince Edward) Island.
Do they really have the biggest tree?
The controversy is spilling into coffee shops and living rooms across the Island and is pitting communities against each other.
But it's all in good fun, says organizer Pam Price.
"It's become a big deal," she laughed.
The village believes it has the biggest tree in the province and has challenged all other communities to prove they don't by submitting their own choice trees to a contest. The event has been dubbed the Great Big Tree Challenge and has proved to be a success.
The contest was launched nearly one month ago and has generated 11 official entrees with four more expected soon. The deadline for submissions is the end of August after which top entrees will be inspected by an arborist and a winner selected.
Of the entrees submitted, Price suspects there may only be one potential challenger to the Victoria tree.
"The one on Arcona Street (in Summerside) looks to be a big tree ... so I think it will give us a run for our money," she said.
There are also some giants in Charlottetown, but no one has entered them in the contest yet, she added.
But despite the size of the competition, Price is encouraging Islanders to continue submitting entrees.
"At this stage we're asking people 'please don't be put off by the size of our tree,'" she said.
Entrée forms and more information on the contest can be found online at www.greatbigtreechallenge.com and on the Facebook group GreatBig TreeChallange. The form must be filled out to include the measured circumference, approximate height and canopy length. A photo of the tree must also be provided.
The provincial government has provided three native hardwoods valued at $150 a piece to be awarded to the winning community. Additional prizes will be available for the best photograph of a tree - it does not have to be a tree submitted to the Great Big Tree Challenge.
The Great Big Tree committee is encouraging people to ask owner permission before submitting a tree on private property.
Journal Pioneer
