"Stumpy's Final Bloom: The Legacy of a Beloved Cherry Blossom Tree"

Stumpy, an iconic cherry tree in Washington, will blossom for the last time this year as part of a restoration project that will see over 100 cherry trees cut down due to the deteriorating seawall around the Tidal Basin. The $133 million project aims to rebuild and reinforce the seawall to protect the cherry trees from regular flooding caused by rising sea levels. The National Cherry Blossom Festival, a popular tourist attraction, is expected to draw 1.5 million visitors this year. Climate change has also impacted the cherry trees, causing peak bloom to occur earlier in the calendar.