In the city of Rikuzentakata, Japan, out of 70,000 trees in the coastal area, a lone pine was able to withstand the tsunami.
Eventually, the tree succumbed to all the salt water in the soil and died. It was estimated the tree was about 173 years old (actually not as old as the original estimates). The city has rebuilt the pine as a memorial. The cost for restoration was enormous, though, exceeding $1.5 million. You can find many people on the Internet criticizing the decision for the restoration, saying that the money could have been better spent elsewhere… True, but sometimes you need to have something to help build hope, and remembering the tree’s amazing survival is something which local people can use to help give themselves strength to rebuild the community and their own lives.
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