One-year anniversary of cutting down sequoia marked

Published 1:30 am Sunday, January 5, 2020

PORT ANGELES — Devon Gray wants to sow a bit of hope for the future.

That hope comes in the form of seeds collected from a giant sequoia tree that once towered over Lions Park in Port Angeles until it was cut down by the city on Jan. 3, 2019, citing safety and property concerns.

The tree had been named “Hope” by tree supporters who protested its removal. Gray collected seeds from the site, packaging them for distribution to anyone with an interest.

On Friday, the one-year anniversary of the felling, Gray, 65, returned to the site to lay a wreath to memorialize the sequoia and to lament its removal.

Gray, who lives less than a block from Lions Park, said the tree had been readily visible from her garden.

“She took up the whole visual landscape of this area,” she said. “She was graced in beauty and light.

“She had a unique way of dancing with the wind.”

The 110-foot tall non-native tree was felled after years of contention between the Port Angeles Parks and Recreation Department, which cited safety reasons for the sequoia’s removal, and citizens who wanted to save the tree.

The sequoia had been identified by the city as the culprit in damage to a nearby house and driveway. In addition, the city expressed concern that a split stem on the main trunk could be a potential hazard to life and property.

Differing analyses by an arborist hired by the the city and by arborists brought in by “Save Our Sequoia,” a group against removing the tree, added to the conflict.

The subject sparked debate between members of the Port Angeles City Council, which ultimately sided with city staff who pushed for cutting down the sequoia.

On the morning of the felling, Gray was arrested by Port Angeles police on charges of second-degree criminal trespass and obstructing a law enforcement officer for allegedly refusing to leave the park after it was closed for tree removal.

She was banned from Lions Park while her case made its way through the court system. Charges were dismissed six months later and she was allowed to return to the site.

Controversy over the sequoia’s removal led to the creation of an advisory board that will assist the city of Port Angeles in future urban forestry practices.

On Friday, Jasmine Hunt, 55, who also lives near the park, joined Gray in honoring Hope. Hunt circled the site with a smoldering bundle of sage in a ritual of healing.

“We had hoped that we could save it,” Hunt said. “It was the beauty of this park.”

Hunt is still bitter about the removal of a neighborhood landmark.

“What we had here was injustice and we need to feel that justice can be done,” she said.

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Photojournalist Keith Thorpe can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 59050, or at photos@peninsuladailynews.com.