COPPER BEECH TREE PROJECT

  

On November 24, 2021, after years of care and stewardship, Lincoln School bid farewell to its majestic landmark, which had at last succumbed to pervasive infestations common to beech trees throughout the area. The work of removing the tree—overseen by a committee of trustees and staff—was undertaken with great care and consideration. All viable wood from the beech tree was preserved and moved to an off-site miller to be examined and preserved, if possible, for future use. We will be reporting in the coming weeks and months on the plans for both the wood saved and the space opened up along Butler Avenue. 

Before the tree was removed, Lincoln School gathered as a community—both in person and virtually—to celebrate the tree's life and its many gifts. Giving Thanks for Simple Gifts: A Celebration of the Beech Tree was a moving memorial for a tree that has seen so much and brought joy and wonder to so many at Lincoln and beyond.

Copper Beech Tree Project video, shared at the community gathering on November 23, includes a look back at the tree over the decades and selections from student projects.

BE PART OF THE STORY

Welcome to the home of the Lincoln School Copper Beech Tree Project. We will be updating this page with news and information as the project develops. 

Do you have a special memory or historical pictures of the Copper Beech you would like to share with the community? Please send them to copperbeech@lincolnschool.org.

A LIVING CLASSROOM

One of the beloved tree’s final gifts to Lincoln School is service as a living classroom—both muse and specimen. Faculty throughout the school are incorporating the tree into units about everything from sculpture to natural history. Below is a selection of projects in progress. We will continue to add projects and update links as works are completed.

  • Eric Carle style tree paintings (Grade 1 Art)
  • Scrapbook project about the beech tree, including faculty and staff interviews (Grade 2)
  • Poetry about the tree embellished with water color paint (Grade 4)
  • Branch block prints (Grade 5 Art)
  • Variety grid tree drawings (Grade 6 Art)
  • Collaborative beech tree study (Grade 7 Science)
  • Beech tree abstract 3D explorations (Grade 9 Art)
  • Woven ceramic bark bowls (Upper School Ceramics)
  • Dendrochronology project: natural history of the tree's life (Advanced Biology)
  • Dendrochronology project: tree aging (Archaeology)