(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The Lincoln Park Zoo observed Arbor Day Friday with a celebration of one very old tree in its final days.
The bur oak has stood in the middle of the zoo for 250 to 300 years, but the tree has reached the end of its natural life, officials say. It will be taken down on Monday.
“We’re really sad to see it go. There’s nothing more majestic than an old oak tree,” said Katrina Quint, director of horticulture for zoo.
She says it’s a “bittersweet” moment for the zoo, which was asking visitors to write thank-you letters to the 70-foot-tall tree. Quint says that’s not such a crazy idea, because the tree has provided shade and oxygen and shelter for animals over the centuries.
Zoo officials won’t know exactly old the tree is until it is cut down and experts examine the rings within. The trunk is 46 inches in diameter.
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