‘Stumpy’ among 140 cherry trees being removed for Potomac River seawall construction in DC

Andie Vigliotti
·2 min read
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WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — The National Park Service (NPS) said Wednesday that construction on seawalls guarding areas of the Potomac River will begin in May, forcing the removal of 140 Japanese cherry trees in the area, including Stumpy.

NPS said that the cherry trees are among more than 300 trees that crews will remove between the Thomas Jefferson Memorial and the FDR Memorial.

The removed trees will be turned into mulch and used around the tidal basin. When the mulch breaks down into soil the nutrients will help other trees, keeping their legacy alive.

Crews will replant 455 trees after the construction is finished in 2027. That includes 274 cherry trees.

NPS said in a statement that it took precautions to minimize the number of trees that had to be removed and considered tree locations and topography.

Construction in 2024 will not affect the National Cherry Blossom Festival, held from March 20 through April 14.

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The Tidal Basin trails will remain open throughout construction, but there may be some temporary pedestrian detours.

The trails along the river often fall victim to flooding from seawall damage, prompting closures. Built in the late 1800s to early 1900s, the seawalls have suffered from from rising sea levels and poor drainage. Some portions have settled as much as five feet, according to the statement.

“The seawalls are no longer structurally sound and threaten visitor safety and the historic setting, including the cherry trees around the Tidal Basin,” the statement said.

The three-year plan to revitalize the Tidal Basin and West Potomac Park is funded through the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA), passed in August 2020.

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The GAOA website says that the project will expand recreation and public opportunities, improve public safety in areas with high visitation, and reduce the costs of annual operation and emergency repairs.

This project represents an investment of more than $113 million from the GAOA, the bill’s largest project funded in D.C. to date. The National Park Service plans to pour $500 million into the areas surrounding the National Mall before July 2026 in celebration of the 250th anniversary of American independence.

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