Dying Back Bay elm tree says farewell

By adamg on Fri, 01/13/2017 - 11:22am

Elm tree in the Back Bay with Dutch elm disease

Farewell note is at bottom of the tree.

Newton paused to read the sad goodbye from Boe the Elm Tree on Marlborough Street at Fairfield this morning. Boe is 135.

"Dear friends," Boe starts, "Sorry to bring bad news but I have lost my heroic battle against Dutch elm disease. ... I will miss you and I know you will miss my shade and the way I remind you of our history."

The city will cut down Boe, possibly this month, to protect the Back Bay's remaining elm trees from the killer fungus spread by a beetle.

Some of Boe's wood will be carefully processed and milled so that students at the North Bennet Street School in the North End can use it.

Troublewithtribbles captured Boe's impressive spread in 2015:

Last photo copyright Troublewithtribbles. Posted in the Universal Hub pool on Flickr.

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Comments

Thanks for posting

By Bugs Bunny on Fri, 01/13/2017 - 12:05pm.

The note from the tree, that was very cute.

Gosh darn it!

By Gary C on Fri, 01/13/2017 - 1:21pm.

A letter from a dying tree has got me all teary-eyed.....I didn't see that coming.

right?!

By anon on Fri, 01/13/2017 - 10:57pm.

I'm so sad. I feel like I want a ceremony when it gets taken down, just so we can all have closure.

dup

By Gary C on Fri, 01/13/2017 - 1:31pm.

...so upset.... :)

135 years

By statler on Fri, 01/13/2017 - 3:55pm.

Imagine all the things and people BOE has seen pass by over the years.