On Sunday, community members gathered to honor the copper beech, which has stood in the heart of Belmont since its founding. Attendees heard poems, songs, and speeches, led by the Unitarian Universalist Church, the Henry Frost Children’s Program, whose emblem is the tree, and the Department of Public Works. Town officials explained that while they have been trying to save the tree for years, it is succumbing to beech tree leaf disease and will have to be removed in the near future. They hope that the many seedlings of the tree, which they plan to cultivate, will keep the tree alive in the community.
Alia Jablonski sits under the copper beech finalizing her poem for a ceremony honoring the tree before it is removed. (Julianne Snow Gauron/Belmont Voice) 
Attendees and local media gathered for a ceremony on Sunday honoring the copper beech that has stood in the heart of Belmont, before it is removed due to illness.. (Julianne Snow Gauron/Belmont Voice) 
New spring leaves emerge on a historic beech tree in Belmont., days before the ailing tree is scheduled to be removed. The tree has stood since the town’s founding. (Julianne Snow Gauron/Belmont Voice) 
Tree Warden Will McPhee holds one of 11 seedlings gathered from the copper beech which the town will cultivate. (Julianne Snow Gauron/Belmont Voice) 
The historic beech tree spreads its spring canopy over Wellington Hill Station near Belmont Center, shortly before the ailing tree is scheduled to be removed. (Julianne Snow Gauron/Belmont Voice) 
A runner passes the copper beech tree and Wellington Hill Station. The tree has stood since the town’s founding, but will be removed due to disease. (Julianne Snow Gauron/Belmont Voice) 
New spring leaves emerge on a historic beech tree in Belmont, days before the ailing tree is scheduled to be removed. The tree has stood since the town’s founding. (Julianne Snow Gauron/Belmont Voice) 
Reverend Chris Jablonski, of the Unitarian Universalist church reads a poem his daughter, Alia Jablonski, wrote about the copper beech soon to be felled due to disease, while attendees look on. (Julianne Snow Gauron/Belmont Voice)
