Their beauty, size, strength and longevity make sequoias the perfect tree to plant in honor of peace and the celebration of life — and people will be doing exactly that Tuesday, the International Day of Peace, in the International Peace Gardens in Jordan Park.
The park, 1060 South and 900 West, is the site of the 22nd annual peace celebration. This year, TreeUtah is participating for the first time by planting 11 sequoias. The sequoia is a member of the redwood family native to California.
Sequoias can live for thousands of years and do surprisingly well in Utah, although there are only a handful of them in the Salt Lake Valley, said Vaughn Lovejoy, a project coordinator for TreeUtah.
"We picked the sequoias purely for esthetic reasons. They are extraordinary trees that can grow well here. Fourteen years ago, two were planted in the Peace Gardens, and they are already 30-40 feet tall."
For those unfamiliar with the giant trees, there is one growing on the southwest corner of 800 South and 900 East, Lovejoy said.
"I think it's very important in the face of current events to concentrate on peace," TreeUtah Executive Director Justina Parsons-Bernstein said.
Besides the tree planting, the International Day of Peace will be celebrated at Jordan Park with music by Trace Wiren, food and remarks from representatives of many civic and religious organizations. Directors from the Utah Offices of Asian, Pacific Islander and Hispanic affairs, Catholic, Buddhist, Quaker, Unitarian, Bahai, Muslim, Episcopalian and LDS Church leaders will participate in the event.
Parsons-Bernstein said the symbolism behind planting sequoias is to plant trees from many areas of the world, not just native trees, in the Peace Gardens.
The tree planting will be from 5-5:45 p.m., speakers from 5:45-6:30 p.m. Wiren will perform until 7:30 p.m., followed by the serving of food.
TreeUtah also plants trees on Arbor Day and encourages members of the public to call its arborist, Jen Atwood, 801-364-2122, for information about trees.
E-mail: lweist@desnews.com