The “Tree of Life” in Olympic National Park has become a symbol of resilience over the years, but recent photos show that this bastion of beating the odds may be coming to its end.
Located on the blustery Pacific coastline of Washington state, the Tree of Life earned its name from how it has survived in a seemingly unsurvivable environment – and does so with an unintentional penchant for drama.
Unlike its fellow Sitka Spruces, which are often tall and streamlined, the Tree of Life looks more like a relatively squat, mangled creature, as the height of its potential was tampered with by high winds teasing out its trunk and branches.
But perhaps most of the drama comes from below, as its roots are completely exposed. What are usually hidden in soil to protect them and give nutrients, the roots are naked and desperately clinging to cliffsides that are slowly eroding beneath their tenuous grip.
As it hangs suspended, it’s no wonder that the tree has been given a name that encapsulates what it tries so hard to hold onto.
“Over the years, it’s been described as ‘resilient,’ ‘magical,’ ‘hardy,’” said Lissy Andros, executive director of the Forks Chamber of Commerce in nearby Forks, Washington. “It’s been described as a lot of things, and I think it connects to people and what they’re going through in life, something that’s kind of an anomaly that’s just trying to do its best.”
However, it seems that its best may not be enough for long.
Photographer Mathew Nichols, who has documented the tree through his work over the years, recently saw that the tree was barely hanging on and sagging closer to the ground.
For perspective, six years ago, Nichols said he and his family were able to walk beneath the roots of the tree. But now, its roots have dropped to where they only have about an inch before hitting the ground.
“It’s finally coming to its resting place, I think,” Nichols said.
Many others seem to agree. During his visit to the tree on Tuesday, Nichols said he found, underneath the tree in its “tree cave,” people had erected a memorial for it.
Pictures he took of the memorial show a number of stones and other small items sprinkled throughout the labyrinthine roots of the tree. One stone reads “Peace on Earth.”
He even spotted some visitors mourning for the tree.
“It was so beautiful to see people shedding tears and paying their respects to the tree as it clings on during what seems to be surely its final days,” he said.
A combination of time, weather, and additional stress is behind the tree coming closer to its end, according to Andros.
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“There’s a lot of beach erosion and King tides,” she said. “The coastline is constantly getting just battered by Mother Nature.”
Aside from King tides, the Northern Washington coast is among the harshest climates you’ll find in the United States, according to FOX Weather Meteorologist Scott Sistek.
Fall and winter storms fueled by a supercharged jet stream crash into the bluff unabated from the Pacific Ocean, he said. Wind gusts over 60-70 mph occur multiple times a winter. Nearby Forks receives nearly 10 feet of rain per year.
In addition to the weather, another factor playing a role in the tree’s struggle is some humans, according to Andros. She noted that some park visitors climb the tree or pose for pictures very close to the tree.
She believes the Tree of Life may have as little as one year left before it falls completely. At that point, she noted that it would be left alone to let nature take its course, as it is part of the national park.
“Every day that it hangs in is pretty much a gift,” she said.
Tree is easy to find
If you’d like to witness the marvel that is the Tree of Life, it’s not that difficult to find — it’s even marked on Google Maps. It’s a little over a three-hour drive from Seattle.
It’s right near the Kalaloch Campground parking lot. Some steps near there will take you to the beach, and the tree is about 25 yards up the beach on the right-hand side.
