Very sad news about The Senator (3500 years old)

[mcpesq817]

http://news.yahoo.com/historic-tree-catches-fire-central-florida-park-141332861.html

LONGWOOD, Fla. (AP) — Investigators are ruling out arson after one of the world's oldest cypress trees caught fire and collapsed in central Florida.

Division of Forestry spokesman Cliff Frazier tells the Orlando Sentinel (http://thesent.nl/xBjd2H) the fire was not the work of an arsonist. The exact cause has not yet been determined.

Seminole County Fire Rescue spokesman Steve Wright says the 118-foot-tall bald cypress tree named "The Senator" burned for several hours early Monday. Wright says a 20-foot section of the top fell first and then rest of the tree collapsed.

The county parks department says ring samples showed the tree was roughly 3,500 years old.

The tree was named for a 1920s state senator who donated what is now Big Tree Park to the county.

 

[kbonsai8]

I see this post is from 13 years ago. Looks like a meth head burned it down intentionally and was arrested in 2019 and sentenced to 30 months prison....3500 hundred year old/one of the oldest bald cypresses in the world. People live such short lives, but these giants stand for eons... so sad seeing something like this. Throw your life away fine, but dont take the world down with it.

 

[just.wing.it]

30 months... hmm.
That seems like a slap on the wrist.
I think 3500 years sounds about right.

 

[kbonsai8]

I wholeheartedly agree...not sure how that decision came to be. One would think getting caught with Meth plus burning down a national landmark would carry some weight... hey BTW love the profile Pic! RIP Phil !!!