The Andover Tree Committee is asking residents to pick their favorite old oak, that towering maple on their street, or the gnarled specimen they've walked past for decades and submit it for official recognition.

The "Deep Roots: Important Trees of Andover" program accepts nominations through Wednesday, September 30. Residents can nominate trees in seven categories: Oldest or Most Historic Tree, Largest Tree, Rare or Unusual Species, Story Tree, Neighborhood Landmark Tree, Student/Youth Nomination, and Legacy Tree of Andover 250.

Any tree on public or private property in Andover is eligible, though nominations on private land require the property owner's permission. To qualify, a tree must be alive and accessible enough for volunteers to verify its species, condition, and approximate size.

Nomination forms should include photographs, the tree's location, its species if known, and a brief explanation of why it matters. Families, students, neighborhoods, schools, and local organizations can all submit. Forms are available here.

After the September 30 deadline, volunteers will review and measure nominated trees in October. The town plans to announce its selections later that month.

The program won't end with the anniversary year. Town officials say it will continue beyond the 250th celebration, with additional trees added over time to create a lasting community record of Andover's tree heritage. At a Wednesday, February 11, Tree Committee meeting, members discussed designing plaques or signs for recognized trees and working with Memorial Hall Library on a display highlighting tree history and care.

The nomination program is the second phase of the town's broader Deep Roots, New Branches: Andover 250 initiative, a collaboration among the Tree Committee, the Andover 250th Anniversary Committee, the Department of Public Works, and Town Arborist Paul Sanborn.

The first phase gave away 250 native saplings to residents and businesses earlier in 2026. That giveaway proved so popular it was fully subscribed, with all 250 applications claimed. By the Tree Committee's Wednesday, May 13, meeting, 206 of 271 total saplings had been distributed.

Tree Committee Chair Willow Cheeley and other members discussed launching the nomination program at that same May meeting. Two Andover High School students were enlisted to help with the project, according to committee minutes from February 11.

The town describes the trees it hopes to recognize as "living landmarks" connecting residents to Andover's past while providing environmental benefits including shade, wildlife habitat, and stormwater management.