Stumpy's last bloom: A beloved Tidal Basin cherry tree faces the ax.

[elleng]

Stumpy, a beloved hollow cherry tree located on the south bank of the Tidal Basin in Washington, will be removed later this year alongside hundreds of other trees that will be cut down for a sea-wall-rebuilding effort led by the National Park Service.

The name was given to the stump-shaped cherry tree in 2020 by a Reddit user who joked that the tree was as dead as his love life. Since then, the tree’s popularity has only grown, and its resilience celebrated. The tree has survived years of flooding tides from the Potomac River and beavers browsing for bark.

“Stumpy is such a unique and well-loved tree because it’s small and deals with Tidal Basin flooding daily,” said Dave Lyons, a D.C.-area photographer. “Yet it’s full of beautiful cherry blossoms. Everyone cheers for the little guy.”

Still, the tree’s days are numbered as a $113 million multiyear repair of Tidal Basin and West Potomac Park sea walls nears. About 300 trees overall, including more than 150 of the iconic cherry trees, will be removed.

Human-caused climate change, which is driving a rise in sea levels in tidal waters, is partially to blame for Stumpy’s fate.

“Portions of the seawalls have settled as much as five feet since their initial construction from the late 1800s to the early 1900s,” the Park Service said. “As a result of the settling and sea level rise, water flows over portions of the seawalls twice a day during normal tidal conditions.”

Mike Litterst, communications chief for the National Mall and Memorial Parks, said the announcement of the sea wall repair and tree removal was purposely made before the cherry blossom bloom this year so people could travel to the Tidal Basin and visit Stumpy one last time during peak bloom. He expects huge crowds at peak bloom next week.'

https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2024/03/14/stumpy-tidal-basin-last-bloom/?

[Marthe48]

1. My daughter just told me about this today

Along with settling, I imagine the rise in sea level isn't helping

Here is an article from NPR: https://www.npr.org/2024/03/16/1238981451/washington-d-c-s-cherry-trees-will-be-removed-after-the-cherry-blossom-festival#:~:text=Weekend%20Edition%20Saturday-,Washington%2C%20D.C.'s%20cherry%20trees%20will%20be%20removed%20after%20this,repair%20a%20crumbling%20sea%20wall.

Here is another from AP about the care the trees in the park receive: https://apnews.com/article/cherry-blossom-festival-washington-tree-care-6921a4dedf3cb8e2c24630142183d391

[Marthe48]

2. My daughter said that the Park Service will take cuttings from the trees they remove

Including Stumpy, and will be able to make genetic replicas of Stumpy and other trees they remove. I feel bad when any trees are cut down. I read that there are about 3200 trees in the park, so, a small percentage are getting cut down. I guess it makes me feel better to know that the trees will be genetically reproduced, and replacements will be blooming by 2027.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

3. First, they came for Stumpy, and I said nothing, because I wasn't a tree.

NT