Witness Tree Protection Program

Ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees shall clap their hands.

(From Isaiah 55:12, KJV)

Do you ever think about the trees around us and how much history they witnessed? That means they were standing when monumental events took place and are now under special protection and care. Some trees live as long as 500 years. Bullets might hide in their interior.

There are 24 such trees in Washington alone. Their history and their photos are archived at the Library of Congress. “Sometimes a tree falls before it can be identified as a witness tree. A fallen oak at Gettysburg exposed two bullets.

A tree at Willow Oak, Oxon Cove Park & Oxon Hill Farm, Maryland, remembers the war of 1812.

There is a white oak witness tree standing at Manassas National Battlefield Park, Virginia.

The Burnside sycamore stands in Antietam National Battlefield, Maryland.

Look for the Sickles Oak in Gettysburg National Military Park, Pennsylvania, and an Oklahoma City Survivor Tree at Oklahoma City National Memorial, Oklahoma.

These trees speak of resilience, in the midst of turmoil. Let that speak to our hearts today.

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