Bert the Bluff Oak

The historic bluff oak tree on the University of Florida’s campus was torn down over one weekend, and now advocates are moving forward after the removal of the tree they tried to save.

Bert The Bluff Oak, a heritage tree on the University of Florida's campus, will be torn down sometime in the next week, according to Steve Orlando, senior director of UF media relations. UF has settled on design that will remove 36 trees in the area, including five other heritage trees.

The Florida Champion Tree Register recognizes the largest tree in the state of each noninvasive species. It's the next step of recognition up from heritage tree status, like that of Bert, the bluff oak that has affected plans for the Innovation Nexus Building at UF.

A meeting will be held to decide on construction plans for the University of Florida’s Nuclear Sciences Building. After student and faculty voiced opposition over the potential removal of a 200-year-old oak tree named Bert, the architects were tasked with coming up with alternate plans that would spare the tree.

The people behind a social media campaign that took root over night are celebrating a little victory for a very big tree. After discovering a unique tree on the University of Florida's campus is scheduled for removal because of construction, a group of students and faculty rallied to save it.