Unlike individuals who testify against criminals and are put under protection through the Witness Protection Program, witness trees are trees that have stood for so long that they have been spectators to some of the most important events in U.S. history. Washington, DC, is often called the “City of Trees.” The nickname comes from George Washington’s vision for the nation’s capital. Not surprisingly, many of our early presidents were avid arborists who planted saplings all over our country and right in the heart of the District of Columbia. In 2006, the Historic American Landscapes Survey (HALS) initiated the Witness Tree Protection Program to document historically significant trees in the Washington, DC, area. At the time, they noted 24 original trees, all located in the National Mall and Memorial Parks area. Honorable mentions include:
- • The “War of 1812 Willow Oak,” which dates back to the Battle of Bladensburg in 1814
- • The White Oak tree from 1862 still lives at Manassas National Battlefield Park, Virginia
- • The Burnside Sycamore also has grown since 1862 at Antietam National Battlefield in Maryland
- • The 2010 Survivor Tree lives at the National September 11th Memorial, symbolizing the spirit of resilience in the wake of national tragedy
