Moon Tree Planted On Long Island

GREENLAWN, NY — The Harborfields School District planted what it believes was the first original moon tree to take root in New York, the district announced, in what it called a "truly out-of-this-world celebration."

The tree was planted on the front lawn of Thomas J. Lahey Elementary School on Tuesday afternoon.

The event marked the culmination of a nearly two year long project-based learning initiative that blended science, history, environmental education, and civic engagement.

"At the heart of it all? A seedling with a celestial connection," the district wrote.

During the 2023-24 school year, Thomas J. Lahey Elementary School students researched the original Apollo 14 mission where they learned that NASA astronaut Stuart Roosa carried tree seeds into lunar orbit. The original Apollo 14 moon trees were grown into seedlings by the Department of Agriculture Forest Services and distributed to national monuments and other locations around the country. With only a handful of original trees still standing, Roosa’s daughter continues the legacy of moon trees by planting and presenting descendants of these special trees via the Moon Tree Foundation.

The Bronx Community College planted an American sycamore that took a flight around the moon on NASA’s Artemis 1 in 2022, News 12 Brooklyn reported.

The Harborfields tree is a descendant of the original moon tree seedlings that were launched into orbit on the Apollo, the district stated.

Inspired by this mission, students worked closely with their teachers and space enthusiasts, Alison Kraham and Linda Scarth, to identify the type of seed that would thrive in Greenlawn. After selecting a Sycamore tree, they created and presented a slideshow to a panel of judges and then to the Board of Education, met with the district’s Buildings & Grounds team to identify a planting site, and secured grant funding through the Harborfields Alumni and Community Educational Foundation (HACEF) to support their vision.

Although several original moon trees were sent to New York in 1976, the district stated there are no records that they were ever planted, making this tree even more special to the community.

"We are so proud of our students and teachers who have been involved in this project over the past two years," said Rory Manning, superintendent of schools, in a news release. "The legacy that they will be leaving at their school in the form of a moon tree will be enjoyed by generations of students and our entire community."

The planting and ribbon cutting is a culmination of a one-and-a-half-year project based learning initiative and will serve as a reminder to students at TJL and the community to keep reaching for the stars — or better yet, the moon.

As the ribbon was cut, the mood on the lawn was one of pride and excitement, according to the district.

"The tree will be planted in the fall and serve as a living legacy of this student-driven endeavor and a lasting reminder to the Harborfields community to always reach for the stars... or better yet, the moon," the district stated.