According to a New York Newsday report, the New York City Parks Department spent $1,000 on a funeral for a tree. Complete with a five-foot high memorial stone, printed programs, and black armbands for the mourners, the funeral service was attended by about 100 people, 60 of whom were parks workers who were on the clock at the time.

The tree, a 63-year-old blue atlas cedar, died when its roots exploded as contractors were trying to move it to another location to make way for the expansion of the National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. During the funeral service, taps was played, "Amazing Grace" was sung, and a eulogy was given by Parks Commissioner Henry Stern. The park's flags were lowered to half-staff.

But the cedar's case is not yet closed. Stern promised that "an inquest will be held to determine the precise circumstances. The matter could be called an accident, a case of negligence, or involuntary tree slaughter."

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