Dear President Macron,

When Notre Dame Cathedral burned in 2019, millions of people around the world mourned with France and you pledged to rebuild quickly. These plans call for the sacrifice of up to 1,500 Oak trees, each 150-200 years old, by the end of March 2021 to restore the cathedral's spire.

Throughout Europe, Oak groves were the first “cathedrals”—places of community, sanctuary, worship, and restoration for the mind, body, and spirit. Modern science validates the numerous benefits of spending time in their company.   

Oaks are a keystone species, critical to the support and survival of entire ecosystems. A single Oak can provide food, shelter, and habitat for thousands of species of birds, insects, and animals. 

Today, given our vastly improved knowledge and resources, it is possible to preserve the history of Notre Dame and also preserve the future of the Oaks. 

You have pledged to rebuild Notre Dame in time for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. What better opportunity to lead, to showcase to the world France’s commitments to innovation and the planet—and to serve as an ecologically-minded model for restoration in the 21st century—than to rebuild Notre Dame without sacrificing the Oaks and the countless lives who depend on them?

President Macron, you and your people have great pride and passion for France and your history. You also have an opportunity to ally yourselves with the future, if you allow the Oak Elders to live. Please find an alternative solution for restoring the spire that is viable for all lives.