DC cherry blossom tree 'Stumpy' to be cut down
WASHINGTON - National Park Service contractors began cutting down scores of cherry trees around the Tidal Basin Tuesday — not a pretty sight for D.C. residents who have come to admire the beautiful blooms at this time of year.
But there's one tree in particular that has many people feeling blue today: our beloved Stumpy.
The cherry blossom tree has left an indelible mark on the Tidal Basin, gaining widespread affection for its small and lopsided appearance. Wednesday afternoon, it sat isolated and surrounded by protective fencing.
Stumpy’s life has been extended for another couple of weeks as NPS works on cutting down scores of cherry trees along the Tidal Basin, drastically changing the appearance of this national treasure.
"I mean it's sad but it has to be done to replace the sea wall," one tourist told FOX 5.
FOX 5 asked the National Park Service's Mike Litterst what's to become of Stumpy and why it's still standing.
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"One of the things that we’re doing to perpetuate Stumpy‘s legacy is to have our friends at the National Arboretum take cuttings of Stumpy. They’ll use those to create genetic matches so we can plant trees that are genetically identical to Stumpy," Litterst said. "It's not quite far enough in its spring maturity for us to take those clippings so we’re working around Stumpy until we're able to get those clippings and get them over the Arboretum."
It's a $113 million, three-year project to replace and repair the sea walls around the Tidal Basin and along the Potomac River at West Potomac Park.
The trail around the Tidal Basin will remain open, with rolling detours.
"It's not great to look at right now, especially with so many visitors," another tourist said.
Right now, 158 cherry trees are being cut down. They'll be replaced by 274 new ones.
A total of 300 trees are being removed and 455 new ones will replace them.
The sea walls flood twice a day at high tide. The Park Service says rising sea levels and poor drainage are to blame for the damage here.
"It’s a couple of years of yes construction and not very good to look at but the trade-off is that well into the next century we will have created an environment where those trees that we replace will thrive and survive," Litterst said.
The sea wall replacement is just here in the southwest corner of the Tidal Basin. From the Jefferson to the FDR Memorial but it's going to be a construction zone for at least the next two cherry blossom seasons.