By Gus Saltonstall
Doubled stacked, the boxes of photos and ornaments stand more than five feet tall in the bedroom of Marianne Larsen’s apartment.
In total, the boxes contain more than 3,000 photos of beloved pets no longer with us.
Known as the Keeper of the Tree, along with Larry Closs, Larsen was the caretaker of the Central Park Pet Memorial Tree, an 18-foot Hinoki false cypress in the Ramble, also known as the “Furever Tree,” where New Yorkers would come every holiday season to hang ornaments and photos to commemorate dog and other pet friends that had passed on.
This past summer, though, the Central Park Conservancy cut down the Furever Tree after it died due to a combination of environmental stress and wear on the landscape.
Since around 2008, Larsen would take home the photos and ornaments hung on the tree at the end of each holiday season, store the materials until the following year, and then put a selection of them back up.
“I began taking the photos and ornaments home after the season was over. I would dry them out and try to tape them up. Years later, around 2022, I started laminating them,” Larsen told West Side Rag during an interview at her home. “A lot of people assumed the photos and ornaments would just disappear and be thrown away each year, which seemed bizarre to me. I don’t know if anyone would ever come and pick them up besides us, but we did.”
When she was informed last summer that the tree was cut down, Larsen was faced with a new challenge; she had over 3,000 photos and nowhere to put them.
“The park was very nice because they let me put up two small signs where the tree had stood,” Larsen said. “One was of my information because I wanted to return the photos, so if anyone came to the tree looking for their picture, they would at least have my contact information.”
But that first week, only six people reached out to her.
Larsen has spent countless hours organizing the photos in plastic bins and boxes with a corresponding binder.
“It literally has been a day job, which is crazy,” she said. “There were months-long periods of at least six hours every day organizing.”
So far, Larsen has been able to return around 165 pet photos, which she either does in person, or through the mail. “I ask for a $1 Venmo to pay for the stamp and envelope,” she said.
“People are really happy to get their babies back,” Larsen answered when asked why she spends the time attempting to get the pet photos returned to their rightful owners. “It’s like I’m sending their child home again. So, getting the photos and ornaments back is so important, and a few of those people then send me photos of where the photo stands now, whether up on a new tree or mantle.”
“I’ve enjoyed talking with these people; finding them can be difficult, but once I start messaging with them and speaking to them in person, really lovely stories come out,” she added.
Larsen admits that at some point she will have to discard the photos, but will wait at least through the end of 2026. She is also working alongside her fellow Furever Tree caretaker Closs, to see if a publishing house would be interested in creating a book with the photos, or if a museum would be interested in an exhibit, but they haven’t had any luck yet.
For now, their request is simple: if you had a photo or ornament on the Furever Tree and would like it back, please reach out to mglarsen55@gmail.com.
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Would the tree still be alive if the CPC had paid attention to soil quality?
The lawns in CP are largely packed earth, can’t imagine the Ramble is much better — except way off the paths.
Supposedly people were putting ashes by the tree & this hastened the demise of the tree.
Thanks for this touching article, Gus—it is totally amazing and wonderful the effort Marianne Larsen put into establishing and maintaining the Central Park Pet Memorial Tree, and preserving with the utmost care the thousands of lovely commemorative photos and ornaments. So sad that the beautiful cypress fell ill and had to be cut down; I hope word spreads so people can reconnect with her to recover their mementos of their cherished departed pets. And perhaps the New York Historical would take an interest in creating an exhibition (like the small one honoring the life of Flaco), or a curator there could suggest a small press with a possible interest in publishing a book for posterity?
I JUST read this comment after posting mine – great minds re: New York Historical (and other museums)!
Contact the Mueseum of Dogs.org Maybe they will do an exhibit around the holidays. They could create several trees.
Marianne worked so hard for so many years, giving all of us Pet Parents a wonderful holiday season. I don’t know how she did it, clearly she is very organized! I was one of the pet parents who reached out, and Marianne not only found my four babies, she delivered the envelope to me in person. I love that she helped with the Central Park Conservancy to get funds for a granite paving stone to honor the Furever Tree. I gladly donated for this project, it’s a wonderful way to honor the Furever Tree. I hope the New York Historical Society will have an exhibit (like Flaco). It’s such a New York story! Thank you, Marianne!
Who’s got a contact at either the New York Historical, the Museum of the City of New York, or the Cooper-Hewitt Design Museum? I’d love to see the Furever Tree become a permanent installation at either spot and with an opportunity every year to add more photos!
I genuinely hope one place does this.
That is a great idea. It could be an indoor or artificial tree. The Museum of the Dog is at 101 Park Avenue. Their lobby would be an incredible location.
This is so reminiscent of Fred’s Restaurant on 83rd Street and Amsterdam Avenue. For years, dog owners have brought photos of their pets to be hung on the restaurant’s walls. There’s actually a waiting list for people who want to bring their doggie photos to Fred’s to participate in the doggie gallery. It was started by the restaurant owner posting a huge photo of his black lab named Fred years ago. Such a wonderful community of doggie photos.