AMHERST, Mass. (WGGB) — A century old tree is being saved in Amherst despite a major construction project going on around it.
Amherst College is rebuilding its football field, but they ran into a snag in the form of a 100-year-old tree.
The tree was originally going to come down but professors and townspeople objected.
A donor came forward with 100-thousand dollars to move the tree and that’s what they’re doing.
It’s a long, tedious, and painstaking process. They’re using excavators and cables to get it out.
Tom Lynn has been watching. “They’ve been working around the edges of the tree digging underground to release the tension underneath so they can lift the tree,” says Lynn.
The process of removing the tree is drawing a lot of interest from people in town. They’re happy this tree is being moved and not cut down.
“It’s called a Camperdown Elm. It’s a fairly rare species in this country you find a lot of them in England and I think that’s where this one came from,” says Lynn.
The tree is being moved about 90 feet away so those going to football games in the future will continue to see a familiar landmark.
