The Survivor Tree

A Callery Pear Tree found in the rubble following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center became a living symbol of hope, resilience, survival, and rebirth. When discovered, the 8 feet high tree was severely damaged, charred, with roots snapped and branches burned and broken. With little likelihood it could be saved, the tree was moved by the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation to the Arthur Ross Nursery in Van Cortlandt Park for rehabilitation. There it was nourished back to health and in 2010 returned to the World Trade Center Memorial, where it stands over 30 feet tall with new, smooth limbs extending from gnarled stumps, creating a visible demarcation between the tree's past and present. Three saplings from the World Trade Center's Callery Pear Tree were donated to the Cold Spring Harbor Fire Department through the Survivor Tree Project.

Cold Spring Harbor, New York · United States