How a 133-year-old tree halts helicopter
Plans to extract a slice of a 133-year-old inscribed Engelmann spruce tree from Wyoming's Washakie Wilderness have been halted following public opposition. The tree, known for its inscription by a survey crew in 1893, stands in a remote basin within the Shoshone National Forest. Federal land managers had intended to remove the tree and display a section at the Wyoming State Museum, with plans to eventually move it to the Buffalo Bill Center of the West.
However, wilderness advocates raised objections, arguing that the project should not involve mechanized equipment in designated wilderness areas. Public opposition, including over 200 emails from concerned citizens, forced the Shoshone National Forest to pause the project, which now explores alternative options such as creating a 3D scan and replica of the tree.
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