Students and staff of the School of the Arts (SOTA) in Dhoby Ghaut will be bidding a heartful goodbye to their 'Tree of Knowledge' on Sunday before it is chopped down. The 40-year-old Angsana tree was standing tall outside the school before it was declared as decaying and a cavity was found at its base.
A school spokesperson said the 33.6m tall tree, fondly known as SOTA Tree, is being removed for the safety of students, staff and members of the public. The tree was incorporated into the design of the school eight years ago.
Students will be creating a mural of leaf prints on Friday (January 19) to commemorate their beloved tree. Its trunk will be used to create art and a new sapling will be planted later on.
SOTA principal Lim Geok Cheng hopes the legacy of it lives on though it is extremely saddening for the school to bid farewell to the Tree of Knowledge.
Angsana trees, which grow up to a height of 40 metres, were planted in Malaya and Singapore as shade trees. However, most of them have been cut down due to fungal infection. Angsana trees were also planted as part of Singapore's Garden City campaign launched in 1967.
