Arborists with the National Park Service are pruning and evaluating the condition of some of the 3,700 cherry trees on the National Mall in D.C., but you can support the famed blossoms from home — no matter where you live.
For one, you can peek at the famed trees online through the “bloom cam.”
Hana Hancock, with the nonprofit Trust for the National Mall, told WTOP the camera is perched atop the Salamander Hotel in the District and provides “sweeping views of the Tidal Basin and the Jefferson Memorial.”
You can also donate to adopt a tree from the comfort of your couch.
“Whoever you are and wherever you’re coming from, you can help out,” by adopting a tree, she said.
A donation of $25 makes you a “bud,” but you can sprout to full “tree” status with a donation of $1,000.
While taxpayer dollars fund the National Park Service’s work to preserve the thousands of cherry trees, Hancock explained the trust supports that work.
According to the trust, the flowering cherry trees have an average life span of 40-50 years, and in any given year, 90 trees face replacement.
The cherry trees were first planted in 1912, and climate change, along with the massive crowds that flock to see the blossoms each year, put stress on the trees. There are more than 36 million visits to the National Mall each year, and that foot traffic has resulted in something called “soil compaction,” which takes a toll on the trees’ roots.
“By adopting a cherry tree, you are supporting the long-term care of these iconic blossoms,” Hancock said.
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