Harrisonburg replacement cedar tree Grelen Nursery Orange County
Harrisonburg City staff and Rockingham County landscape staff selected the replacement tree from Grelen Nursery in Orange County. Photo courtesy City of Harrisonburg.

A spruce tree in Court Square that has been part of holiday celebrations in Harrisonburg is being removed, having reached the end of its life, according to the city.

The aging tree on the south side of Court Square has long served as the gathering place for the city’s holiday parade and tree lighting ceremony in December. Now that the lights are down, the tree will be removed and replaced with a 22-foot Japanese cedar.

The cedar is a fast-growing tree known for its resilience and minimal insect and disease concerns, according to the city. A replacement tree has been selected from Grelen Nursery in Orange County.

The new Japanese cedar is anticipated to be planted in the next month.

“The Court Square spruce has been an important part of downtown traditions for many years, and we understand the connection many in our community, and certainly within our own department and organization, have to it,” said Jeremy Harold, Harrisonburg Public Works greenspace manager. “It’s been important to our team to make sure its removal and replacement is done with that history, and the importance of this as a gathering place for all in The Friendly City, in mind.

“Replacing the tree now allows us to responsibly plan for the future of Court Square while continuing holiday traditions with a healthy, long-lasting tree for years to come.”

The removal is part of a larger strategy for landscaping downtown, focused on tree health and sustainability. The landscape plan is being developed with the Virginia Tech Community Design Center. The full landscape plan should be finished this spring.

The city is inviting community members to share photos and memories of the tree which its communications team will share on the city’s social media channels. For more information, contact Maya Waid by emailing maya.waid@harrisonburgva.gov or calling (540) 434-5928.

Following removal, the existing spruce tree will be repurposed through Harrisonburg’s urban wood program, which gives new life to trees removed from public spaces by transforming them into usable wood products.

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Published by Crystal Graham

Crystal Abbe Graham is a reporter and ad manager for Augusta Free Press. A 1999 graduate of Virginia Tech, she has worked for 25 years as a reporter and editor for several Virginia publications, written a book, and garnered more than a dozen Virginia Press Association awards for writing and graphic design. She was the co-host of "Viewpoints," a weekly TV news show, and co-host of "Virginia Tonight," a nightly TV news show, both broadcast on PBS. Her work on "Virginia Tonight" earned her a national Telly award for excellence in television. You can reach her at crystal@augustafreepress.com.