First, there were concerns the tree was sick, but it seems to be rebounding. Next there was talk that Governor Granholm had designs on the rotunda space where this magnificent tree stands. Apparently the governor has backed off, and the tree appears safe for now. But in this budget-cutting era, nothing is guaranteed safe forever.
Cutting down the state tree would not only be sad for the tree and those who love it, but it would be a wrenching metaphor for an era when it seems government is tearing down much of what has made Michigan so beautiful and so special. Please help us keep an eye on the fate of this magnificent specimen.
The tree is an Eastern White Pine, the variety adopted as the state tree of Michigan in 1955. The stained glass and metal sculpture surrounding its base is the Great Lakes Pool, created by Glen Michaels and funded by the Kellogg Foundation.
Hmmm? Whatever would any governor want with that rotunda? I guess even the poor trees are are getting pummeled by politics these days.