Many people, all across the globe, look forward to attending the Cherry Blossom Festival every year. The festival features one of the most majestic trees around the world and is located in the nation’s capital. According to the Washington Post, the festival “draws around 1.5 million visitors for three weeks of street parties, concerts, family activities, and days to go fly a kite.”
Cherry blossom trees, also known as Sakura trees, are native to eastern Asia and Washington, D.C., did not get a hold of them until January 6, Cherry Blossom trees, specifically the Japanese variety, symbolize much importance within the Japanese culture, including “the beginning of the spring season, predicting the harvest seasons, and a sign of renewal.”
Although many people look forward to seeing these distinguished flowers every year, there was some news that this year after the festival ended, construction was set to begin to remove and relocate cherry trees from the Tidal Basin. Numerous people, both familiar and unfamiliar with the tidal basin’s sea level, know the area has been rising and overflowing, especially “during high tide, inundating roots of cherry trees, threatening sidewalks and infrastructure, even some of the monuments and memorial.” The planned renovation is a “$113 million project…part of nearly $500 million in planned infrastructure improvements at the National Mall leading up to the 250th anniversary of American Independence in 2026.”
These trees are an important factor to D.C.’s history and beauty, and with the beginning of this two-to-three-year project, who knows what the following Cherry Blossom Festival will look like. But all may not be lost. With the emergence of this significant project, “Japan is giving the U.S. 250 new cherry trees to help replace the hundreds that are being ripped out this summer.” Who knows what the final product will be? Will D.C.’s national mall completely obliviate the emphasis of theses majestic trees, or will they just be a small accessory to the already crowded and growing city?
It is important D.C. residents stay aware and stay alert to construction projects that occur within the city, because not every plan is a good plan, so make your voice heard and advocate for keeping the cherry trees visible and celebrated.
