For Washingtonians who are particularly familiar with the Tidal Basin in D.C., it may not be a shock, but twice daily, water flows over the seawall during standard tidal conditions (which it shouldn’t). The project to repair the decaying seawalls, while certainly overdue, has drawn quite a bit of criticism largely because the construction project will require the removal of 158 of D.C.’s Cherry Blossoms located between the Thomas Jefferson Memorial and Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial.
Why does the Tidal Basin seawall need repairs?
The Tidal Basin’s seawall was first built in the late 1800’s and concluded in the early 1900’s, since then portions of the seawall settled as much as five feet(!). Now, as a result of a combination of factors including rising sea levels and poor drainage, the seawall is considered a risk for visitors and the ecosystem of the surrounding area as its structural integrity has become less and less stable over time. The risks of leaving the Tidal Basin’s seawall untouched at this point could result in catastrophic flooding that could potentially kill all of the plantlife surrounding the Basin, chiefly D.C.’s iconic Cherry Blossoms.
How is the Tidal Basin seawall going to be repaired?
TJ Brown
The construction project, which is slated to start in late spring this year (2024), is expected to take three full years, meaning it is expected to be completed in 2027, and will cost an estimated total of around $113 million. The goal is to ensure the safety of the surrounding park area’s inhabitants (both the Washingtonians and the wildlife) and to ensure the stability of the seawall for at least the next 100 years.
The construction project is going to take place in two parts, the first part will be along the Tidal Basin, and then the second part of the project will take place along the Potomac in West Potomac Park.
Why are they removing Cherry Blossoms along the Tidal Basin?
Unfortunately, the level of reconstruction needed to ensure the safety of all 3,700+ Cherry Blossom trees in the area requires the sacrifice of 158 Cherry Blossoms between the Thomas Jefferson Memorial and the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial. Unfortunately, the Cherry Blossoms cannot be relocated or replanted as a result of the incredibly complex rooting system that they grow beneath the soil, famously Cherry Blossom’s roots grow deep and even intertwine with other trees close by, making it impossible to remove the trees without mortally damaging them.
Is Stumpy getting removed?
Yes, sadly this will be Stumpy’s very last peak bloom ever before he is removed for the seawall construction project. For those of you who don’t know, Stumpy is an iconic Cherry Blossom that is seemingly stunted, nearly completely hollow, and yet still seems to bloom each year, making for some truly iconic photos. Unfortunately, considering how Stumpy’s location gets flooded nearly every day with the high tide, the project will be removing him and over 150 other Cherry Blossom trees in the area to complete the construction. Despite this, Washingtonians are rallying around Stumpy, even creating an online petition to relocate him rather than remove him.
Are they going to replant, relocate, or replace the trees they remove?
No, No, and Yes. The trees that are slated to be removed sadly are not going to survive the removal process, but the good news is that they aren’t just going to be replaced, they are nearly doubling the amount of Cherry Blossoms there will be in the same area once construction is complete! The construction press release details a plan to replant a total of 455 new trees (including 274 Cherry Blossoms) in the area!\
According to reports, they will be taking ‘cuttings’ from many of the Cherry Blossoms, including Stumpy, which means that trees grown in the future from these cuttings will be the same tree. In other words, Stumpy will live on, but sadly he won’t have his same iconic stature in the future.
Why can’t the Cherry Blossoms be relocated?
Several factors, chiefly logistics, impacted the decision not to relocate the Cherry Blossoms. Many of the selected Cherry Blossoms are not expected to have a much longer life span as a result of the daily flooding they experience, if one were to take one of these Cherry Blossoms, such as Stumpy, and then attempt to replant it elsewhere, there is no certainty the tree would survive the process. The effort and resources needed to pull off a relocation successfully would be too costly and risky to justify.
The reality of the situation is that National Parks Services decided that the benefit of sacrificing 158 flooded trees now will benefit all of the trees along the Tidal Pond in the future, not to mention that upon completion of the construction they plan to replant nearly double the amount of Cherry Blossoms in the area than there are now! Truthfully it is a massive shame that these beautiful trees were ever subjected to these conditions in the first place, and despite their resistance, blooming annually in such extreme conditions, these trees are extremely fragile and their sacrifice is not in vain.