Bur oak on West 24th named St. Louis Park—s first MVTree award winner

St. Louis Park recognized its first MVTree (Most Valuable Tree) award winner at the council meeting, honoring a large bur oak on West 24th Street that received 251 public votes.

Annie Podorf, sustainability specialist, described the program timeline: nominations opened June 2, the city received 30 nominations and staff convened a review committee on Aug. 7 to select four finalists. The finalists went to a public vote that drew more than 400 votes, Podorf said. The winner was announced Sept. 9 and the homeowner, Carol Leonard, and the neighbors who nominated the tree attended the council recognition.

Podorf read excerpts from nominations describing finalist trees, including a Huntington Avenue elm cared for since the 1980s and a Cambridge Street silver maple that may be over 100 years old. She also described a memorial linden planted in Louisiana Oaks Park to honor a resident—s late husband.

Podorf read part of the winning nomination: "Carol Leonard is our neighbor. In front of her house is a majestic bur oak tree. We are nominating this tree because it reminds us of a friendly royal dragon that protects our neighborhood." Council members praised the program and its community participation; one council member asked why homeowner addresses were not published, and staff said addresses were withheld at the homeowners— request for security reasons.

The council presented the award to Carol Leonard and invited the neighbors who nominated the tree to speak briefly. Two neighbors, who identified themselves as Vera and Vivian, said the tree makes them happy when they walk by and thanked the homeowner for allowing the nomination.

Council members described the program as a promising annual initiative to highlight mature trees and neighborhood stewardship.