This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-20945211
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Scots pine put forward as Scottish national tree at Holyrood | Scots pine put forward as Scottish national tree at Holyrood |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A plea for the Scots pine to be adopted as Scotland's national tree has been heard by MSPs. | |
| A campaigner has submitted a petition to parliament, arguing that having a national tree for Scotland could be a "valuable symbol" of the commitment to the country's natural environment. | A campaigner has submitted a petition to parliament, arguing that having a national tree for Scotland could be a "valuable symbol" of the commitment to the country's natural environment. |
| Alex Hamilton has suggested this should be the "iconic" Scots pine. | Alex Hamilton has suggested this should be the "iconic" Scots pine. |
| His petition has the support of a number of environmental organisations including the Scottish Wildlife Trust. | His petition has the support of a number of environmental organisations including the Scottish Wildlife Trust. |
| The move also has the backing of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the Woodland Trust Scotland and Trees for Life. | The move also has the backing of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the Woodland Trust Scotland and Trees for Life. |
| Mr Hamilton and Alan Watson Featherstone, the founder and executive director of Trees for Life, made the case to MSPs on Holyrood's public petitions committee. | |
| In his petition, Mr Hamilton argues that the Scots pine is an appropriate symbol for the country as its numbers are rising again, after being greatly reduced, making it a "symbol of a resurgent Scotland". | In his petition, Mr Hamilton argues that the Scots pine is an appropriate symbol for the country as its numbers are rising again, after being greatly reduced, making it a "symbol of a resurgent Scotland". |
| Royal oak | Royal oak |
| He said: "The Scots pine is known and loved by many Scots and having it as a national symbol will encourage Scottish citizens in assessing, improving and being involved with their environment. | He said: "The Scots pine is known and loved by many Scots and having it as a national symbol will encourage Scottish citizens in assessing, improving and being involved with their environment. |
| "The United Kingdom - or is it England? - has its Royal oak, it is time for Scotland to have its national tree." | "The United Kingdom - or is it England? - has its Royal oak, it is time for Scotland to have its national tree." |
| In a letter to MSPs, Mr Watson Featherstone said that as 2013 had been declared the Year of Natural Scotland it was "an entirely fitting and appropriate way to start the year with the establishment of a national tree for our country, and the Scots pine is the ideal and obvious choice for this". | In a letter to MSPs, Mr Watson Featherstone said that as 2013 had been declared the Year of Natural Scotland it was "an entirely fitting and appropriate way to start the year with the establishment of a national tree for our country, and the Scots pine is the ideal and obvious choice for this". |