22-03-2025
Alabama officials dedicate ‘Moon Tree' in Huntsville
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — Alabama State Park officials and the Von Braun Astronomical Society gathered on Thursday, March 20 to dedicate a Moon Tree.
'The Monte Sano Moon Tree serves as an inspirational symbol of the relationship between Earth and space,' Alex Hall, President of the Von Braun Astronomical Society, said. 'This space traveler reminds us to look to the stars and holds special meaning for many of our members who have been and continue to be involved in the exploration of space. We can't wait to see people posting selfies with the tree on social media.'
The Moon Tree, located near the John Scoble Memorial Pavilion in the park, will be protected by fencing and permanent signage will be installed soon to commemorate its significance.
In 2022, several different types of seeds traveled into orbit aboard the Orion Spacecraft as part of the Artemis I mission. The seeds spent more than 25 days in space before returning to Earth.
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The loblolly tree arrived in Huntsville this week and was immediately planted at Monte Sano State Park. Volunteers will check on it regularly to make sure the tree is in good shape.
Hall said back in the early 1970s, seeds that went around the moon on Apollo 14 were similarly planted in Huntsville.
'This tree for us is such an awesome symbol of the relationship between the Astronomical Society and the park. We're in our 70th year,' Alex Hall, President of Von Braun Astronomical Society said. 'We've been up here in the park for that long, educating and inspiring people. And for us, this tree is yet another touchpoint for people to really be inspired by the heavens and look at where we're going.'
The tree had been growing in a USDA forestry nursery and was shipped to Huntsville earlier in the week.
Officials said the Artemis moon trees are intended to be a celebration of space exploration, with this one being planted in the Rocket City as a nod to the rocket being developed at the Marshall Space Flight Center.
Visitors to the park are encouraged to use the #MonteSanoMoonTree hashtag when posting about it on social media.
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