On the move: Large Idaho sequoia tree finds new home
BOISE, Idaho — A large sequoia tree with a history rooted in conservation was standing in the way of progress.
More than a century after it was planted as a sapling in a doctor’s yard in Boise, Idaho, the 10-story tree is on the move, shifting across the street to make way for a hospital expansion. The tree is expected to reach its new turf Sunday. Here are some things to know about it and its trip months in the making.
WHAT’S THE TREE’S STORY?
More than 100 years ago naturalist John Muir sent four sequoia seedlings to Emile Grandjean, a conservation-minded professional forester and early employee of the U.S. Forest Service in Idaho. Of the four sequoias from Muir’s seedlings, the only one that still exists is the one being moved. St. Luke’s Health System is spending $300,000 to move the 98-foot (30-meter) tree to city property about two blocks away. “We understand the importance of this tree to this community,” said Anita Kissée, spokeswoman for the hospital. Cutting it down “was never even an option.”