Central Park’s beloved “Furever Tree,” where New Yorkers honored deceased pets for over 40 years, has been cut down after dying from environmental stress.
Why It Matters: The 18-foot Hinoki false cypress in the Ramble served as an unofficial pet memorial where grieving owners hung ornaments and photos each holiday season, creating a unique healing space for the Upper East Side community and beyond, West Side Rag reports.
Catch Up Quick: The Central Park Conservancy removed the tree in August after it showed serious decline beginning in early 2025, per West Side Rag. The tree’s exact location within the Ramble was kept undisclosed to preserve its intimate nature.
Driving the News: Environmental factors killed the tree, including prolonged drought, winter weather impacts, soil compaction, and physical wear to the tree and its roots, West Side Rag explains. A sign of unknown origin warned visitors that pet ashes were “toxic to the tree” and contributing to its decline, though the Conservancy couldn’t confirm whether scattered ashes impacted the tree’s health.
What They’re Saying: “It was loved to death,” said Peggy Fields Goldstein, who alerted media to the tree’s removal after visiting in May and finding “all the branches were brown and brittle,” according to West Side Rag.
What’s Next: Volunteer caretakers Marianne Larsen and Larry Closs, with Larsen dubbed the “Keeper of the Tree,” are exploring ways to continue the memorial tradition, West Side Rag notes. The Central Park Conservancy is considering a new, sustainable way to honor pets within the park that protects the landscape for future generations.
