ORLANDO, Fla. — Dozens of people rallied Saturday to defend a 125-year-old tree in downtown Orlando.
They worry it could be torn down to make way for a new condo complex in Constitution Green park on Summerlin Avenue and South Street.
Organizers of the rally said cutting down the tree would be a big loss to the community.
They said the event was about demonstrating the push to keep the block historic.
An online petition was started last week to save the tree and it has thousands of signatures.
“There are over 3,000 units going up in downtown Orlando in the next several years. There are a lot of people who will be sharing green space. It’s important we keep one of the last city blocks with 100 and 200-year-old trees,” said Eric Rollings, of the Orange County Soil and Water Conservation Board.
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said the city will do everything it legally can to save the tree.
The land is privately owned and the owners have leased the space to city since the 1980s.
The owners are now in talks with developers to sell it.