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Contact: Erin Whittaker, 516-802-7539
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site is dedicated to ensuring that beautiful, historic trees within the park remain healthy for generations to come. On October 25, the park will begin the removal and replanting process for five Kwanzan Cherry trees and two apple trees that are in poor condition and well beyond their natural lifespans.“Visitors to Sagamore Hill enjoy these fruit and flowering trees each day, but more recently they’ve become fragile due to their age and have developed cracks, hollowed out trunks, and broken limbs. We’re looking forward to planting the next generation of cherry and apple trees, just as the Roosevelts did in years prior, in the Spring of 2024,” said park superintendent Jonathan Parker.
The Kwanzan Cherry trees, originally planted in the 1950’s in the vicinity of historic cherry trees that comprised part of the Roosevelt flower and vegetable gardens, have far exceeded their expected life span of 15 - 25 years. Like all living things, trees have a cycle of growing, thriving, dying, and returning back to the earth that nourished them. The National Park Service will be removing these old trees to ensure the safety of visitors, reduce risk of damage to vehicles in the parking lot, and to prepare the area for replanting.
To complete the natural cycle of these trees, they will be mulched and utilized on the grounds, and new trees will be planted in the spring 2024. The park is currently in communication with National Park Service staff at the National Mall and Memorial Parks in Washington D.C. about the possibility of bringing juvenile cherry trees from the National Mall to be planted at Sagamore Hill.
The removal phase of this project is scheduled to be completed on Wednesday, October 25. Replanting is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2024. Financial support for this cultural landscape project is generously provided by the Theodore Roosevelt Legacy Partnership.
For more information or questions, please contact Erin Whittaker e-mail us (516) 802-7539.
Last updated: October 24, 2023