Arsonists burn down world's 5th oldest known tree (3500+ year old)

[pwaldo]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...oyed-fire.html

The fire which destroyed the 3,500-year-old tree known as The Senator was due to arson, the Division of Forestry said. Firefighters say the cypress tree - one of the world's oldest - caught fire and collapsed in central Florida early this morning. It was the centerpiece of Longwood's Big Tree Park and believed to be the oldest of its kind in North America and the fifth oldest in the world. The Senator is named for Senator M.O. Overstreet. Overstreet donated the land where the tree stands to Seminole County in 1927.

According to the county's parks and preservation department, The Senator was roughly 3,500 years old.

Parks officials say the tree reached a height of 165 feet before a 1925 hurricane lopped off its top. Native American Indians who lived throughout central Florida would use the tree as a landmark. in the late 19th Century it became a visitor attraction, despite the fact the area around it was swamp.

A walkway to the tree was later constructed. In 1929, former president Calvin Coolidge visited The Senator and dedicated the site with a commemorative bronze plaque. This plaque was stolen by vandals in 1945.

A survey of The Senator in 2006 revealed it was more than 5,100 cubic feet making it only the largest of its kind in the U.S. but the largest tree of any species east of the Mississippi River.

[JBpatches]

Wonder if these arsonists were some nuts trying to make a point on an issue or just some jerks who like to destroy things.

It's only a tree, but because of it's age it's a shame it was destroyed. I looked into it and the oldest living tree is like over 4,800 years old in California.. that's pretty amazing.

[BGT Masters]

Yeah and luckily they won't let people know where its at so idiots won't burn that one down. For being such an intelligent species we sure our stupid. Recently we killed oldest living animal, a clam. To find out how old it was they killed it. I think it was like 450 years old.

[MattDMC]

. For being such an intelligent species we sure our stupid.

Just a select few of our Species are stupid but the stupidity of their actions far outnumber the everyday good acts of mankind.

Back to the topic why would anyone due something to a harmless tree that never did anything to them. Its a shame when an ancient 1 of a kind land mark has to meet its untimely end just because some punk wants to show the other punks he hangs out with how cool he is. I hope one day he buys a nice new car and young punk like himself decides to have a little fun and light up his car KARMA.

[duwal]

Just a select few of our Species are stupid but the stupidity of their actions far outnumber the everyday good acts of mankind.

Back to the topic why would anyone due something to a harmless tree that never did anything to them. Its a shame when an ancient 1 of a kind land mark has to meet its untimely end just because some punk wants to show the other punks he hangs out with how cool he is. I hope one day he buys a nice new car and young punk like himself decides to have a little fun and light up his car KARMA.

ancient 1 of a kind landmark??? Its a TREE!! You sound like one of those Ebay sellers with a failed attempt at a 1/1. A Peyton Manning 1/1 card numbered 18/999. If they dug it up and replaced it with a similar looking tree that was about 50 years old most people wouldn't even care or notice a difference

[MattDMC]

ancient 1 of a kind landmark??? Its a TREE!! You sound like one of those Ebay sellers with a failed attempt at a 1/1. A Peyton Manning 1/1 card numbered 18/999. If they dug it up and replaced it with a similar looking tree that was about 50 years old most people wouldn't even care or notice a difference

Just because you don't see the special in it and I do doesn't mean you have to be a dick about it. To you its just a tree to others ts a lot more than that.

If we were talking about a 3500 year old building or statue would you say eh whatever its just a building they can replace it?

The tree had History President Coolidge even visited it leaving a commemorative plaque for it which the plaque was also stolen years ago but I guess you'd also say big deal its a plaque.

Sometimes you have to enjoy the little things in life even if its "just a tree". You sir need to open your eyes and enjoy nature a little more.

[duwal]

Just because you don't see the special in it and I do doesn't mean you have to be a dick about it. To you its just a tree to others ts a lot more than that.

If we were talking about a 3500 year old building or statue would you say eh whatever its just a building they can replace it?

The tree had History President Coolidge even visited it leaving a commemorative plaque for it which the plaque was also stolen years ago but I guess you'd also say big deal its a plaque.

Sometimes you have to enjoy the little things in life even if its "just a tree". You sir need to open your eyes and enjoy nature a little more.

I do enjoy the little things in life, enough to know that something like this isn't worth getting worked up over at all. Its an old tree and far from being the oldest around. 100's of thousands of trees get cut down each year. Would you hope that karma happens to someone that chops and cuts down a Christmas tree? Its still a tree getting cut down to meet its untimely end. Maybe if everyone left that tree alone IT could be one of the ancient trees but no one would ever know

[BGT Masters]

Its one of the oldest trees that people could actually go see. And its for this reason they hide some of the oldest ones. Because some jerk for no reason other than to do something stupid went and burned it down. To compare it to a christmas tree or some sapling growing out in my backyard is dumb. The fact that a tree is that old and is still around is a big deal, I guess to some people anyways.

[MattDMC]

its one of the oldest trees that people could actually go see. And its for this reason they hide some of the oldest ones. Because some jerk for no reason other than to do something stupid went and burned it down. To compare it to a christmas tree or some sapling growing out in my backyard is dumb. The fact that a tree is that old and is still around is a big deal, i guess to some people anyways.

thank you!

[pwaldo]

Sara Barnes, 26, of Winter Park, Florida burned down the tree so that she could get enough light to what drugs she was taking. Yup that's right the tree was burned down so some meth head could get high. Unbelievable

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ugs-doing.html