July 28, 1999
Olympus High School is facing a bit of a dilemma.
In order to comply with federal Title-9 guidelines it needs to build a softball field for the girls softball team.
But, there's one big obstacle in the way.
Keith McCord, explains.
Olympus High School needs more space to build a new softball field.
So when a parcel of land adjacent to the school went up for sale, the Granite School District bought it-- A perfect spot for a ball diamond.
But there's one problem.. a big problem. A huge tree. Depending on how they configure the ball field, it's either on third base, or somewhere in right field.
So the district planned to take out the tree, clear off the rest of the parcel, and build the field.
But... not so fast!
Jeanne English/Wants to Save Tree: "YOU KNOW IT TOOK 70 YEARS FOR THIS TREE TO GROW, AND I FELT THAT MAYBE THIS NEEDED TO BE KNOWN."
Jeanne English says this Burr Oak tree has quite a history.
As the story goes, back in 1936, the former property owner, Grant Smart, received an acorn from a friend, who had vacationed in Mt. Vernon, New York, home of George Washington. That acorn came from one of the trees planted by Washington. That acorn produced this huge tree!
Tony Dietz/Utah Urban Forestry Coord: "SO IT HAS A FULL CROWN ALL THE WAY AROUND, AND YOU DON'T SEE MANY TREES LIKE THAT AND THAT TREE IS 72 FEET TALL, IT'S THE LARGEST BUR OAK TREE IN UTAH, SO LIKE I SAY, FROM THAT STANDPOINT, IT'S A SIGNIFICANT TREE."
At Jeanne English's request, the State designated this one as an official "Heritage Tree"--which protects it from arbitrary destruction.
Which means, if the school district still wants to remove the tree, it'll first have to hold a public hearing, which it plans to do.
Mckell Withers/Granite School Dist.: "IF THE RESPONSE IS NO, THAT THE TREE IS MORE IMPORTANT TO THE STATE THAN THE GREENSPACE AND SOFTBALL FIELD FOR THE STUDENTS, THEN YEAH WE'LL HAVE TO ABANDON THE PROPERTY AND SELL IT TO A COMMERCIAL DEVELOPER."
Jeanne English doesn't have a problem with the school planting grass and building a field....
"JUST LEAVE THE TREE?"
"YEAH!"
The State Forestry office says there are fewer than 100 Burr Oak trees in Utah.
And, just a few dozen trees in the state have been protected.
