MOSCOW, ID – The University of Idaho is working to preserve the school’s Presidential Grove after a windstorm on December 16, 2025, damaged three historic trees, including two presidential trees.
The damaged trees include the Theodore Roosevelt Tree, a Colorado Blue Spruce planted April 10, 1911; the William Howard Taft Tree, a Port Orford Cedar planted October 4, 1911; and an unidentified tree of similar age located at the corner of Campus Drive and the Admin Circle entrance.
Both presidential trees still stand but are significantly damaged. Portions of the Roosevelt and Taft trees were carefully preserved and stored on campus during cleanup efforts. They will be repurposed by student groups for future projects.
Remaining portions of the trees will stay on site temporarily so horticulture experts can collect shoots and buds called scions. Those will be used to create replicas through a long-standing tradition by the College of Natural Resources, ensuring the grove lives on for future generations. The replicas will be replanted in Presidential Grove.
Samples of both the Roosevelt and Taft trees already exist, and additional scions will be collected as backups to ensure preservation. Community members may notice changes in the area over the next couple of years as site preparation and replanting work continue.
