Windstorm causes loss of historic trees on University of Idaho campus

Intense winds destroyed a piece of Idaho history Wednesday when several iconic trees on the University of Idaho Moscow campus were uprooted or fell during the windstorm that swept through Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho, according to a University of Idaho press release.

Two trees planted by former presidents, as well as an enormous blue spruce — all located in front of the Administration Building — were severely damaged and may need to be taken out. Fifteen trees on campus came down in the wind, and others will need to be removed because the root balls are now unstable and could be at risk in a future storm. The damage was still being assessed Wednesday afternoon.  

“This is a huge historical loss for our campus, our town and our state,” U of I President Scott Green said in a UI press release. “These trees have towered over our university for more than a century, adding to the character and aesthetic of the campus while serving as a living display of U of I’s position on the national stage.” 

The Presidential Grove, a historic living monument along Hello Walk in front of the Administration Building on the Moscow campus, began with a Colorado blue spruce planted in April 1911 by President Theodore Roosevelt, who had just left office. Roosevelt played a key role in natural resource policy in early America and also founded the U.S. Forest Service. This tree was damaged in the storm, the release said.

Other presidents and dignitaries added to the grove over the years.  

William Howard Taft planted a Port Orford cedar later in 1911 as part of a larger tour of the western U.S. This tree was also damaged. 

Woodrow Wilson planted a red oak in 1918 during his western tour. This tree was not damaged.

Eleanor Roosevelt planted a Douglas fir during her campus visit in 1938. She was an invited keynote speaker at the Borah Symposium, an event focused on public affairs and peace. This tree was not damaged.