For 45 years, hidden deep within Central Park stood the Furever Tree, an 18-foot-tall Hinoki false cypress. Perhaps Central Park’s best-kept secret. For most of the year the tree appeared unremarkable, until the holiday season rolled around, and it would be transformed into a pet memorial. A place where pet owners could come and hang a memento to commemorate the loss of a furry, feathered, or even scaly family member. The Furever Tree did not discriminate.

Throughout the holiday season, the Furever Tree would be tended to by volunteers, the self-proclaimed “keepers of the tree,” who made it their job to make sure that this unique tradition continued. Among their duties were redistributing mementos so they did not put unnecessary strain on one part of the tree, and laminating any photos left behind so they would not be damaged by the harsh weather. When the season was over, they would take all the mementos down, categorize them, and carefully store them away for the following year.

In 2020 alone, it was reported that 200 photos were added to the tree, and the same went for the following year. However, that all changed in 2024 when an unprecedented 2,000 were added. This has been largely credited to the tree’s increased exposure on social media, to a public that clearly loved the idea and was eager to participate.

Sadly, all the added attention eventually resulted in the tree’s demise. While the exact cause remains unclear, it has been suggested that the tree’s death may have had something to do with “environmental factors,” despite none of the surrounding foliage suffering similarly. A more likely cause has to do with the recent trend of people depositing pets’ ashes at its base. Ashes can be toxic to a tree and poison it. Despite a sign warning people not to do this, some persisted, and now pet owners have lost what was once a beautiful and moving tradition.

As of this writing, the Central Park Conservancy has no intention of replacing the tree. One offer to pay for a new tree, including installation costs, was still met with a “No.” Instead, they are considering marking the place where the tree once stood with a plaque. A gesture that would suggest it is their final say on the matter. Plaques are meant to commemorate the dead, not the living.