PRESERVE and PROTECT

The National Mall & Memorial Parks is just one unit of nearly 400 within the National Park Service system. When you enter the National Mall you are surrounded by invaluable and irreplaceable resources – just like at any other park. Please help us and do your part to preserve and protect our resources. 

While you visit the National Mall during the 2011 National Cherry Blossom Festival, we encourage you to walk around and explore all that the park has to offer and to engage in hanami or the art of cherry blossom viewing. The cherry trees are beautiful and revered and we encourage you to do your part to help us keep them in great shape.

Remember that like any tree, a cherry tree is a living resource. The tree is alive and living just like you and I are! Picking and removing the cherry blossoms from their branches hurts the trees immensely. To the tree, picking blossoms is like pulling the hairs out of your head or off of your skin. It hurts us and it hurts the trees. When the blossoms are picked, they do not immediately regrow in that location. In fact, they may not regrow in that exact location for many years. Nobody comes to see only the bare branches, so please help us preserve those beautiful pink blossoms by leaving them on the tree.

The cherry trees are fragile! Picking blossoms is only one way that our trees are commonly damaged. Please be mindful when you are walking close to the trees, as their roots are often very close to the ground and sometimes even stick above ground level. Walking on the roots of a cherry tree is very similar to someone walking on your legs as you soak up some rays at the beach. Just like picking the blossoms, walking on the roots hurts the cherry trees. When viewing the trees, please be mindful of the roots. Remember too that the best views aren’t necessarily right next to the tree – step back a few feet and enjoy the view in the context of the memorials and surrounding cityscape.

In addition, please know that damaging a resource such as a cherry tree is a violation of the Code of Federal Regulations. Visitors are not allowed to keep or wear cherry blossoms and may be subject to law enforcement action and/or having such resources in their possession confiscated. If you have any questions or would like additional information, please see an U.S. Park Ranger.