HUMBOLDT PARK — The Grandmother Tree of Humboldt Park had a branch that stretched toward the sidewalk almost to say hello.
“I named her grandmother right away. I don’t know why," said 44-year-old Jennifer Jarland. "She was just so majestic."
That tree, which Jarland measured to be well over 100 years old, was one of the latest victims of the emerald ash borer devastation in the neighborhood.
The stump with a 4-foot diameter still remains in the park and Jarland hopes to preserve it as a memorial to the 650 trees that were cut down in Humboldt Park this year.
Once the trees are cut down their stumps are typically ground into a pile of woodchips.
The Grandmother Tree's branch that reached out over the sidewalk. [Jennifer Jarland]
Jarland came across the stump before it was ground down earlier this week and created a makeshift memorial with flowers, sticks and a laminated note.
"When I saw it had been cut, I put my bike on the ground and just stood there with my hand on my heart," Jarland said. "It was like, she’s gone. I put my hands on the top."
The stump, near Kedzie Avenue and Thomas Street, is just a few inches high.
RELATED: Even 'The Squirrels Are Confused' After 1 in 6 Humboldt Park Trees Cut Down
Jarland, a self proclaimed tree hugger, has been in contact with the Chicago Park District and convinced them to save the stump for now.
Jarland, who lives in Humboldt Park and works as a recycling coordinator for Kane County, created a Facebook group for the tree and hopes to put together a group to come up with ideas for a memorial.
One possibility would be a sculpture with a commemorative message to help the community remember and grieve the loss of those 650 trees.
"It had to happen, but it's a loss and we need to acknowledge that loss in a way," she said.
The Chicago Park District was forced to spend much of the summer and fall cutting down 650 trees in the park due to the invasive bug infestation.
The mass tree cutting left many residents and park goers angered and saddened.
The loss equated to one in six of the park's total number of trees coming down, according to the park district.
The park district plans to replace every tree that's come down at a cost of between $650 and $750 per tree.
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