Town in Japan Fights to Save the Only tree Left after Tsunami

The town of Rikuzentakata in Japan started a Facebook campaign to save the only tree left standing after the tsunami that hit the coast of the country in March 2011.

The 27.5 meter-tall pine withstood the disaster, has become a symbol of reconstruction and is the star of a fund-raising campaign on the social network. The campaign aims to collect donations to preserve it.

According to the mayor of the town, there were about 70,000 pine trees along Takata Matsubara beach, located near the mouth of the Kesen River flowing into the Pacific Ocean. The lone, tall pine tree was the only one left standing for miles around. “The Miracle Pine“, is dying because its roots were damaged by infiltration of salt into the ground.

The Rikuzentakata hopes that by collecting funds through the Facebook campaign they may collect sufficient funds to apply an expensive treatment to the land and hopefully save the tree. (FL)