New Video Highlights Survivor Tree Seedling Program

The Survivor Tree blooms on 9/11 Memorial Plaza, its white flowers contrasting with the leafless swamp white oaks surrounding it.

The Survivor Tree on the 9/11 Memorial plaza. (Photo: Jin Lee)

For the last five years, I have been creating an independent documentary titled “The Trees” about the 9/11 Memorial. The film follows the journey of the over 400 Swamp White oak trees that were planted (and continue to be planted) on the memorial plaza. It features the architects and arborists who labored for years to design and build the landscaping there. But the film is also a deeper meditation on the power of trees, nature and “living memorials” to help us remember the tragedy of 9/11.

A visit to the Memorial will reveal one tree that is different from the monoculture of oaks: the Survivor Tree. Along with millions of others, I find great symbolism in the Survivor Tree and am weaving its powerful and moving story into “The Trees.”

Our team edited together three scenes from the feature documentary to create a short video titled “The Tree that Would Not Be Broken,” which is currently playing on the New York Times website.

Recently, we created another excerpt about the Survivor Tree. Filmed at John Bowne High School in Queens, the video chronicles the Survivor Tree seedling program. In the video, we see 421 Survivor Tree seedlings – each about four-feet tall – being cared for by a group of dedicated and passionate agriculture students. I am excited to share the video for the first time on the 9/11 Memorial blog.

Click here to watch the video. The anticipated completion date of “The Trees” is fall 2015.

By Scott Elliott, Director of “The Trees,” thetreesfilm.com