By Gus Saltonstall
The beloved Central Park Pet Memorial Tree is no more.
The 18-foot Hinoki false cypress has been cut down after standing at an undisclosed location within the Central Park Ramble for more than 40 years. The tree celebrated the lives of animals who turned the Central Park terrain into their own personal playground, and every holiday season New Yorkers would come to hang ornaments and photos to commemorate dog and pet friends no longer with us.
The tree, also dubbed the Furever Tree, grew in popularity in recent years as more media publications, including West Side Rag in 2021, and the New York Times in 2023, penned stories about the evergreen memorial.
Sadly, it is possible that the added attention, along with other environmental conditions, led to its demise.
“The Central Park Conservancy was saddened to remove a beloved tree in the Ramble that had become a meaningful gathering point for community members honoring their pets,” a spokesperson for the Central Park Conservancy told West Side Rag. “After thorough monitoring and assessment, it was clear the tree had died due to a combination of environmental stress and wear on the landscape.”
The Conservancy, which removed the tree sometime in August, said that it began showing signs of serious decline in early 2025, and pointed to a combination of prolonged drought, winter weather impacts, soil compaction, and physical wear to the tree and its roots as causes of its death.
In the past couple of years, a sign of unknown origin had also been placed on a fence in front of the Central Park Pet Memorial Tree, asking visitors to please not spread the ashes of their “beloved pets.” “Ashes are toxic to the tree,” the sign warned. “They are contributing to the significant decline of the Furever Tree.”
The Conservancy could not confirm to WSR whether the scattering of ashes had a negative impact on the tree’s health. There is writing, though, including on websites such as gardeningknowhow.com, that “ashes may be harmful when placed in the soil or around trees or plants.”
The Conservancy’s description of the tree’s poor conditions aligned with that of Peggy Fields Goldstein, who reached out to alert the Rag to the tree’s removal.
“I visited the tree on May 27th and was so upset to see it [in] terrible shape and obviously dying. All the branches were brown and brittle,” Goldstein wrote in an email. “Today, August 14th, I visited the Ramble one more time to see it and the tree has been cut down.”
“The pet memorial tree in Central Park has been my favorite holiday tradition in the city for many years. It was always sort of a secret,” she added. But the practice of leaving a pet’s ashes there “apparently was the demise of that beautiful evergreen tree,” Goldstein wrote. “It was loved to death.”
While the original Furever Tree is gone, some longtime volunteers who have tended the tree have plans for replacing it in some form.
Marianne Larsen, dubbed by volunteers as the Keeper of the Tree, along with fellow caretaker Larry Closs, sent a joint statement to the Rag describing themselves as “incredibly saddened” by the death of the tree. For 45 years, they wrote, the Furever Tree “has been a healing place for pet owners to remember, honor and celebrate their beloved pets.”
Larsen and Closs said they are exploring new ways to keep the spirit of the tree alive and would share them “soon.”
The Central Park Conservancy also spoke about finding a new way to honor pets within the park.
“While it’s always difficult to lose a cherished part of the Park, we are committed to working together to find a thoughtful, sustainable alternative for honoring pets, one that protects and preserves Central Park’s landscapes for generations to come,” the Conservancy wrote in an email.
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Just plant a new tree. No “thoughtful, sustainable alternative” can match the love shown by hanging a simple picture on a humble tree.
I thought everybody just tossed pet ashes over the little knee-high fence into the undergrowth. Is this not a thing anymore?
There’s a tree near the North Meadow that has three hamsters buried under it. I wonder how many people buried pets in the park over the years? (Spare us the RFK bear cub jokes please)
My wife, daughter and I were caught in the act on a frigid day by a Park ranger on horseback near the bridle path at West 77th Street. We were digging a tiny hole in the snow-covered permafrost for our 9 year old albino frog, Marianne. The ranger, after admonishing us, let us finish.
There are MANY! We have buried gerbils, a cat and a turtle in Central Part many years ago when I was a child. I know of many that have buried the same as me as well as a dog, rabbit, birds etc. the Park was a burial ground when myself and others were kids.
A dog seems kind of large. We’ve actually buried four hamsters but for one the ground under our favorite tree was too cold to dig up so we had to find a different spot.
I know of a beloved pet pigeon that is buried in the area of the Bethesda Fountain. She passed on day of the solar eclipse. She was at least 9 years old.
They have, many many hundreds of pets over the 401 years (1664) were buried in Central Park of all type to this day.
Billy Amato,
You have done so much for this community!
I know you and your “Zac” the first (Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever) I ever met back in 2012. You talk to me about that breed. Your dog was so awesome here on Upper West Side, my condolence to you. Everybody knew Zac and loved him so much, he was ‘one of a kind’, he just loved people, everybody and he made sure he told you. 🥰
I buried my golden retriever “Charlie” in Central Park near the Delacorte Theater up on that nice long path stretch that goes up to the swings area in the park. He loved running up that path fetching the ball, back in 2012. I avoid that area. It makes me very sad. 🦮🐾🐾
*We all have stories to tell about about our best friend. Dog owners and Cat owners of all type of pets should be shared to the public. It helps the healing of the grief deep within us that we all carry all our lives.🙏
I’m so saddened to hear this message from WSR. It was only a few weeks ago that I have planned a gathering in memorial for my pest and best friends Zac and my other two Jake and Smitty to have a group of Christmas carolers to sing around that magical tree this Christmas season.
I have been leaving my pets Christmas cards and a toy on that beautiful evergreen tree every Christmas season to remember them by and to remember my beautiful thoughts they left me with that I had with them, the sweet little angels they all were over the past 42 years.
There was not a year that passed by that I did not remember them because of that secret tree in Central Park.🕊️
Condolences to all dead trees. Trees truly provide unconditional love to everyone — they clean the air, they provide oxygen, they give us shade. They’re beautiful. I only wish people would appreciate trees as much as dogs, especially in cities. Personally, I think for our survival we require trees much more than dogs. But I could be wrong.
What a bizarre comment. We can continue to enjoy both dogs and trees on this planet.
This is so sad. I loved passing by and seeing the cards, toys & ornaments.
I hope they replace it. 💔💔💔
We are crushed. It was so meaningful to so many. You would go and feel close to your lost friend, and feel happy and sad at the same time, all while standing among others going through the same emotions. Goodbye, tree.
How’s about a community funded commission for a metal sculpture tree in the same spot?
please no! Lets not plant a metal tree in the middle of the the little bit of nature that we have!
How about we fund a real tree?
That is a wonderful idea. I love to contribute to that and I’m sure everybody else would, how can we get this thing moving maybe WSR Could offer some ideas? What a charity event this would be with if we can get WSR involved in it and the CB 7 and the community! Not to mention all the veterinarian officers could weigh in on this.
NOOOO. Will a new tree be chosen?!
Does anyone know what will be done with the pictures that hung on the tree? I placed my pups photo there a few years ago and liked to visit when feeling lonely.
The coordinators have recycle the undamaged pictures from the following year. I’ve seen my dog picture there the last few years. I was planning on updating this coming season.
It would be nice if the Central Park Conservatory could find an area such as on-top of a large hill with several pine trees or somewhere in the park we can go to remember our beloved pets.🙏
[…] The tree is gone now. The Central Park Conservancy had to cut it down after it died from a mix of environmental stress, damage to its roots and body, and perhaps the weight of our affection. Maybe the ornaments and ashes scattered at its base were simply too much for it to bear. […]