STOP BY THIS TREE REAL QUICK, THIS IS TREE NUMBER 46.

I JUST HAPPENED TO LIKE THE ARCHITECTURE OF THIS TREE.

IT'S GOT A NICE PYRAMIDAL SHAPE TO IT.

IT'S GONNA BE A PERFECT TREE FOR AT THE MEMORIAL.

LEAFS OUT A LITTLE BIT LATER THAN THE OTHER ONES.

SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT IN SPRINGTIME, YOU GET ALL WORRIED.

BUT SHE'LL COME OUT.

EACH OF YOUR CHILDREN, ONE OF THEM SLEEPS LATER THAN THE OTHER.

WE ARE SO MUCH LIKE TREES THAT WE DON'T REALIZE REALLY.

THEY HAVE A SKELETAL SYSTEM, THEY HAVE A VASCULAR SYSTEM, THEY HAVE THESE ORGANS THAT MAKE IT GROW, AND GET BIGGER AND THEN DIE EVENTUALLY.

A LOT TO LEARN FROM THESE GUYS.

QUIET EXISTENCE.

COMPLETE AUSTERITY.

POSITIVE ROLE TO THE ENVIRONMENT.

[SIREN WHIRRS, HORN HONKING] [MICHAEL ARAD] I REMEMBER GOING UP TO THE ROOF OF MY APARTMENT BUILDING AND LOOKING SOUTH AT THE SMOKE BILLOWING.

AND SEEING THE SECOND PLANE SWERVE AROUND IT.

AND HIT THE SOUTH TOWER.

-[WOMAN] GOD.

-[MAN] WHAT WAS THAT?

[NEWS ANNOUNCER #1] THE ENTIRE CITY HAS COME TO A STANDSTILL AS MORE JUST STARING, LOOKING AT THE SMOKE POURING OUT OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER AS IT'S GOING.

PEOPLE TRYING TO CALL THEIR FAMILIES, ALL THE CELL PHONES ARE DOWN... [ARAD] IT WAS A HORRIBLE DAY.

BUT THE WAY NEW YORKERS REACTED TO THAT ADVERSITY WITH COMPASSION AND RESILIENCE AND KINDNESS REALLY INSPIRED ME.

I'D BEEN LIVING FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS IN NEW YORK.

I THINK, I VERY MUCH FELT LIKE AN OUTSIDER HERE.

ONE OF THE NIGHTS SHORTLY AFTER SEPTEMBER 11th, I COULDN'T FALL ASLEEP.

AND I WENT FOR A WALK IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND I ENDED UP IN WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK.

IT MUST HAVE BEEN 2:00 OR 3:00 IN THE MORNING.

AND THERE WERE NO MORE THAN A DOZEN PEOPLE.

THERE WERE CANDLES AROUND THE FOUNTAIN.

IT WAS VERY QUIET.

THE MOMENT I STEPPED FORWARD TOWARDS THAT CIRCLE OF WATER AND I FELT AS IF I JOINED THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO WERE THERE.

THERE WAS JUST A SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND KINSHIP THAT WAS INCREDIBLY POWERFUL.

AND FOR ME, IT'S ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS BEFORE AND AFTER IN YOUR LIFE.

YOU COULDN'T BE EMOTIONALLY UNINVOLVED ANYMORE.

YOU WERE PART OF IT.

I FELT A TREMENDOUS NEED TO RESPOND IN SOME WAY.

I STARTED TO THINK ABOUT THIS IDEA OF THESE VOIDS IN THE HUDSON.

IT WAS THIS IMAGE IN MY HEAD OF THE RIVER TORN OPEN AND THE WATER FLOWING THROUGH THIS HOLE IN THE RIVER.

BUT TO SEE THESE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF GALLONS OF WATER RUSHING INTO THIS HOLE.

AND THIS HOLE DOESN'T FILL UP.

AND I SPENT A LOT OF TIME SKETCHING AND THINKING ABOUT THIS.

AND I REALLY DID THIS AS A CATHARTIC EXERCISE.

[ERIKA SVENDSEN] IN THE IMMEDIATE WEEKS AND MONTHS AFTER SEPTEMBER 11th, MANY PEOPLE OF COURSE COULD NOT GO TO THE CRASH SITES.

AND SO THEY NEEDED TO DO SOMETHING SOMEHOW TO PROCESS THIS HORRIFIC EVENT IN THEIR OWN WAY, IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES.

WE WERE OBSERVING THE EMERGENT SHRINES AND MEMORIALS THAT WERE TAKING PLACE ON STREET CORNERS IN PEOPLE'S COMMUNITIES.

BUT QUICKLY I WOULD SAY, PEOPLE STARTED TO ORGANIZE AND IN SOME CASES THEY BECAME A LITTLE BIT MORE PERMANENT.

WHEN YOU PLANT A TREE, THAT'S A PRETTY PERMANENT ACT.

IF ALL GOES WELL, A TREE LIVES FOR A LONG TIME.

SO, WE STARTED TO THINK ABOUT THEM AS LIVING MEMORIALS.

A LIVING MEMORIAL FOR US IS SOMETHING THAT INCLUDES THE ELEMENTS OF THE NATURAL WORLD.

THE BUILT MEMORIALS ARE SET IN STONE, LITERALLY.

BUT THE LIVING MEMORIAL CAN START TO TAKE ON THE NUANCES OF TIME AND EVENTS AS THINGS CHANGE.

LET'S SEE.

-LET ME PULL UP THE MAP.

-SOUNDS GOOD.

WE DOCUMENTED ABOUT 700 LIVING MEMORIAL SITES.

WE SAW THIS PATTERN OF THESE LIVING MEMORIALS BEING CREATED SORT OF BEFORE THE FORMAL BUILT MEMORIALS WERE CREATED.

AND I LIKE LOOKING AT THE TIMELINE TOO JUST REALLY SEEING THE SPIKE IN THE FIRST YEAR ANNIVERSARY.

WE FOUND THEM IN PLACES WHERE THERE WERE NO REAL DIRECT CONNECTION TO A VICTIM OR A FAMILY MEMBER, -JUST PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO SORT OF REMEMBER THE DAY.

-MM-HMM.

AND WE HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THERE ARE THOUSANDS OUT THERE.

AND WE CERTAINLY DID NOT DOCUMENT THEM ALL.

TREES ARE THIS ICONIC SYMBOL OF LIFE AND DEATH.

YOU SEE THEM USED IN ALL SORTS OF CEREMONIES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

TO HONOR A BIRTH, TO REMEMBER A DEATH.

[RICHIE CABO] RIGHT NOW WE'RE STANDING AT THE ARTHUR ROSS CITYWIDE NURSERY IN VAN CORTLANDT PARK.

AND BEHIND ME, WE HAVE THE 9/11 SURVIVOR TREE.

THE 9/11 SURVIVOR TREE IS A CLEVELAND CALLERY PEAR AND WE USE THEM IN THE CITY A LOT FOR STREET TREES, BECAUSE THEY TEND TO GROW STRAIGHT UP AND THEY DON'T BRANCH VERY LOW.

THIS PEAR TREE WAS NOT THE ONLY PEAR TREE DOWN THERE.

THERE WERE NUMEROUS PEAR TREES IN TEN FOOT SQUARE CEMENT PLANTERS.

THIS TREE JUST HAPPENED TO BE VERY, VERY CLOSE TO THE TRADE CENTER BUILDING WHEN IT COLLAPSED.

ALL THE UPPER BRANCHES ON THIS TREE WERE SHATTERED.

AND TORN OFF.

THIS ENTIRE TREE WAS NO TALLER THAN EIGHT FEET WHEN WE GOT IT.

IT WAS WHAT WE WOULD CONSIDER MORTALLY WOUNDED.

I DIDN'T THINK THE TREE WOULD SURVIVE, YOU KNOW?

I HAD JUST STARTED WORKING HERE THEN.

I WAS ALSO WOUNDED.

I WAS A CORRECTION OFFICER.

I GOT SHOT IN THE LINE OF DUTY.

AND I WAS ABLE TO BOUNCE BACK AND THE TREE WAS THE SAME WAY.

IF YOU LOOK AT IT FROM FAR AWAY YOU NEVER COULD TELL THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG.

YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY GO UP CLOSE, TAKE A LOOK AT THE BARK, WHERE THE CROWN STARTED GROWING AGAIN AND THAT WILL TELL YOU THE STORY OF WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE TREE.

'CAUSE YOU CAN SEE THE SCARS, YOU CAN SEE THE NEW GROWTH.

THAT'S WHEN YOU KNOW THAT, "WOW, THIS TREE REALLY WENT THROUGH SOMETHING."

THERE ISN'T ALL THAT MUCH WE CAN DO OTHER THAN CLEAN ITS WOUNDS AND GIVE IT A GOOD PLACE TO GROW AND ABSORB NUTRIENTS INTO ITS ROOTS SYSTEM AGAIN.

THE TREE IS ABOUT 30 YEARS OLD WHEN IT CAME UP HERE.

NOW IT'S CLOSER TO 40 YEARS OLD.

BUT IT STILL HAS A GOOD 30 OR 40 YEARS TO GO.

SO, AND MAYBE MORE.

TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ALWAYS HAVE THIS CALLERY PEAR IN OUR LIVES AS A MEMORIAL TO THE WORLD TRADE CENTER, SOME NEW CUTTINGS OF THE PEAR WERE ROOTED SO THAT WE CONTINUE ITS LINE.

[CABO] PEOPLE WILL WANT TO PLANT ONE IN THEIR GARDENS SO THEY CAN HAVE THEIR OWN PRIVATE MEMORIALS.

SO, WE'RE GONNA KEEP ON PROPAGATING THEM FROM THESE TREES TOO.

AND THAT WILL KEEP THE SAME LINE OF GENES.

SHE'S A NEW YORKER.

THE TREE WENT THROUGH SO MUCH AND WAS ABLE TO BOUNCE BACK.

[NEWS ANNOUNCER #2] IN MANY WAYS, THE MEMORIAL PROCESS BEGAN WHEN THE SUN SET, SEPTEMBER 11th, 2001.

IN APRIL, WITH PUBLIC COMMENT ON RECORD AND THE MISSION STATEMENT FINALIZED, THE LOWER MANHATTAN DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION ANNOUNCED THE JURY.

[ARAD] WHEN THE COMPETITION WAS ANNOUNCED FOR THE DESIGN OF THE MEMORIAL ON THE WORLD TRADE CENTER SITE ITSELF, I TRIED TO THINK, COULD ANY OF THESE IDEAS THAT I HAD EXPLORED BE ADAPTED TO THE SITE.

I WANTED TO IMAGINE THE KIND OF MEMORIAL THAT I WOULD WANT TO GO SEE.

AND WHAT I WANTED TO SEE ON THE SITE WAS QUITE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THE COMPETITION GUIDELINES CALLED FOR.

INITIAL MASTER PLAN CALLED FOR THE SITE TO BE 30 FEET BELOW STREET LEVEL.

THE SURROUNDING SIDEWALKS WOULD BE LIKE COMING TO AN OVERLOOK AT A CLIFF.

AND I REALLY WANTED TO MAKE THE SITE A LIVING PART OF THE CITY.

WHERE RESIDENTS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD COULD COME DOWN AND SIT AND RELAX ON A BENCH.

PEOPLE THAT WORK IN THE SURROUNDING BUILDINGS COULD EAT LUNCH ON A SUNNY DAY.

BUT ALSO A PLACE FOR SOMEBODY WHO'S COMING HERE ONCE IN THEIR LIFETIME, CAN FIND THE EMOTIONAL SPACE TO PAY THEIR RESPECTS.

THIS DESIGN IS VERY MUCH ABOUT REFLECTING THE ABSENCE OF THE BUILDINGS AND THE PEOPLE.

[NEWS ANNOUNCER #3] FINALISTS IN THE WORLD TRADE CENTER MEMORIAL COMPETITION WILL SOON GO ON DISPLAY.

THE JURY ARE REVIEWING THE ENTRIES IS EXPECTED TO CHOOSE A WINNER BY THE END OF THE YEAR.

WHEN THE JURY SELECTED MY DESIGN AS ONE OF EIGHT FINALISTS, I RECEIVED SOME COMMENTS.

ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THE JURY HAD WAS IF I WOULD INCLUDE A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT.

[PETER WALKER] WHEN MICHAEL ORIGINALLY CALLED ME, I DIDN'T KNOW WHICH ONE HE WAS.

SO, WE LOOKED UP THE WEBSITE AND I LOOKED CAREFULLY AT THE EIGHT SCHEMES.

AND IT WAS PROBABLY THE ONLY SCHEME I COULD RIGHT THEN AND THERE PUT MY HEART INTO.

I THOUGHT, "BOY, I WOULD LOVE TO WORK ON THAT."

HE WAS, AT THAT TIME, NOT REALLY SOLD ON WHAT THEY WERE ASKING.

BUT THERE WERE PEOPLE ON THE JURY WHO SAW THAT THIS LAND, BEING IN THE MOST DENSE NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE WORLD, HAD TO BE MORE THAN THAT.

IT COULDN'T ALL BE GIVEN OVER TO THIS IDEA OF DEATH WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT IDEA.

I THINK FOR ME, THE CHALLENGE WAS ALWAYS, HOW DO YOU TAKE THIS VERY CLEAR AND PRIMARY GESTURE, WHICH IS ABOUT THIS FLAT PLANE AND THE TWO VOIDS, AND THEN EMBELLISH IT IN A WAY THAT DOESN'T COMPETE.

WHAT I SAW IN PETER'S WORK WAS A WARMTH THAT WAS STILL VERY MUCH WITHIN THE DESIGN LANGUAGE OF MODERN ARCHITECTURE.

[WALKER] THE KEY TO DESIGN, OR ART FOR THAT MATTER, IS ALWAYS UNITY AND VARIETY.

AND THAT'S WHAT I WANT THIS THING TO BE.

I WANT THAT LEVEL OF COMPLEXITY WITHIN THE UNITY OF THE WHOLE THING.

TO PLAY AGAINST THESE VOIDS.

AND THE TREES, I MEAN, ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT LANDSCAPE IS THE TREES ARE COMPLICATED.

THEY'RE ALIVE, WHICH IS COMPLICATED.

THEY'RE LITTLE AND THEY GET BIGGER AND BIGGER AND BIGGER AND THEN THEY START GETTING LITTLE AGAIN.

THEY'RE JUST LIKE US, YOU KNOW.

THEY GROW UP AND THEN THEY DIE.

MORE THAN 5,000 PEOPLE SUBMITTED PROPOSALS FOR A MEMORIAL AT THE SITE OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER.

TODAY, A COMMITTEE CHOSE THIS ONE, IT'S CALLED, "REFLECTING ABSENCE."

WHEN I FOUND OUT THE DESIGN WAS SELECTED, IT'S A GREAT FEELING TO HAVE YOUR DESIGN, WORK, ACKNOWLEDGED IN SUCH A WAY.

I WAS STILL STUMPED AS TO HOW THESE TREES WOULD BE ON THE PLAZA.

MY INITIAL PLAN THAT THEY WERE LITTLE ISLANDS OF TREES, BUT I THINK IN THAT FIRST PASS, I DIDN'T-- THERE WASN'T ENOUGH OF THAT ON THE PLAZA.

AND THOSE INCIDENTS WERE TOO ISOLATED.

[WALKER] MICHAEL HAD AN INTERESTING IDEA OF HAVING LINES OF TREES BUT HAVING THE LINES NOT LINE UP.

AND HE CALLED IT AN ABACUS.

[ARAD] YOU MIGHT HAVE A TREE TEN FEET PAST ANOTHER TREE, THEN 20 FEET TO THE NEXT TREE, THEN 15 TO THE NEXT ONE.

AND THERE'S A LOOSENESS TO IT.

LIKE, THOSE BEADS FLOWING FREELY ON AN ABACUS.

AND THAT WHEN OVERLAID ON THE MEMORIAL PLAZA WORKED.

IT CAME IN AT A SORT OF A SOFTER REGISTER.

IT CAME IN A WAY THAT COMPLIMENTED THE PRIMARY DESIGN AND DIDN'T COMPETE WITH IT.

AND I THINK PETER'S CONTRIBUTION, HE REGULARIZED THIS A LITTLE MORE THAN I HAD INITIALLY HAD IT.

BUT IN THE FINAL ARRANGEMENT, IT'S VERY MUCH THAT ABACUS DESIGN.

[WALKER] WHEN YOU GET IN THERE, IF YOU'RE WALKING, LET'S SAY FROM THE SOUTHSIDE, YOU'RE WALKING THROUGH A FOREST.

IT'S JUST IRREGULAR.

IF YOU COME IN FROM THE EAST OR THE WEST, YOU'RE GONNA COME IN THROUGH COLONNADES THAT ARE ARCHITECTURAL.

THAT ARE GOTHIC IN THEIR SHAPE.

ONE OF THE MORE BEAUTIFUL THINGS ABOUT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER WAS THIS GOTHIC COLONNADE.

THERE WERE CONCRETE OVER STEEL.

BUT THEY WENT UP FOREVER.

THE TREES ARE ESSENTIALLY RECALLING THOSE THINGS.

I HOPE THAT THIS LIVING PARK WILL BRING AN ELEMENT OF HOPE, A DIMENSION OF HOPE TO THE MEMORIAL, FOR EVERYONE WHO GOES THERE.

YOU KNOW, PEOPLE USED TO GO BUY A HOUSE AND THE FIRST THING I'D DO ON THE FIRST WEEKEND, THEY GO OUT AND PLANT A TREE.

THEY TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE.

THEY TALK ABOUT THEIR FAMILY GROWING.

THIS IS NO DIFFERENT.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FUTURE.

WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT THE PAST.

AND IT'S THE CONTRAST BETWEEN THOSE TWO WHICH I THINK IS GONNA BE WONDERFUL.

[PAUL COWIE] AFTER PETER AND MICHAEL WON THE COMPETITION, THEY CONTACTED OUR OFFICE AND ASKED US TO HELP THEM DECIDE ON THE BEST SPECIES FOR THE PLAZA.

NEW YORK CITY IS A TOUGH ENVIRONMENT FOR TREES TO GROW.

VERY HARSH CONDITIONS.

OF ALL THE TREES IN NEW YORK, THERE ARE NOW ONLY FOUR OR FIVE THAT ARE NOT COMPLETELY BULLETPROOF, BUT NEAR BULLETPROOF AND MOST OF THOSE TREES WOULDN'T DO WHAT WE WANTED DONE.

THEY WERE FORMALLY WRONG.

WE WANTED DECIDUOUS TREES BECAUSE WE WANTED THE SPRING AND WE WANTED THE SUMMER AND WE WANTED THE FALL AND WANTED THE SUN AND THE WINTER.

WE WANTED TREES THAT MADE THE COLONNADES.

AND TREES DO HAVE CULTURAL MEANING.

AFTER AN INTENSE PERIOD OF ANALYSIS AND DELIBERATION, WE FINALLY DECIDED ON SWAMP WHITE OAK TO BE THE PREDOMINANT SPECIES.

AND A SMALLER NUMBER OF SWEETGUM, LIQUIDAMBAR STYRACIFLUA, TO ACT AS AN ACCENT TREE.

THOSE ARE TWO SPECIES OF TREES THAT ARE LARGE FOREST SPECIES, THEY'RE NATIVE TO THE AREA.

THEY HAVE A VERY SHORT LIST OF INSECT AND DISEASE PROBLEMS AND THEY'RE JUST CITY TOUGH.

I THINK THE IDEA OF THE STRONG MIGHTY OAK IS A UNIVERSAL ONE.

THEY'RE PROVIDERS, THEY PROVIDE FOOD FOR LOTS OF WILDLIFE.

AESTHETICALLY, THEY ALSO EXUDE STRENGTH AND LONGEVITY AND RESILIENCE.

IT ALSO HAPPENS TO BE THE NATIONAL TREE OF THE UNITED STATES, AS WELL AS OTHER COUNTRIES, ENGLAND, FRANCE.

[WALKER] THE REASON WE CHOSE THE LIQUIDAMBARS WAS IT HAD THE MOST VIVID COLOR.

THERE ARE SOME TREES THAT COLOR UP AND THEY'RE ALL THE SAME.

LIKE THE OAKS.

THE LIQUIDAMBAR COMES ON IN DIFFERENT SHADES.

IT'S THE AMBIGUITY OF THOSE THINGS THAT I LIKE.

AND IT BRINGS A RICHER SITUATION.

THE REASON WE WANT THE RED, WE WANT IT IN SEPTEMBER, THAT'S WHEN THEY'RE READING THE NAMES.

PETE, THERE'S SOME GREAT FORMS.

WHEN YOU'RE WALKING THROUGH ANY NURSERY, YOU'RE GONNA SEE TREES THAT ARE CROOKED.

YEAH, SURE.

BUT LOOK AT THE LINES, -I MEAN, IT'S SOLDIER LIKE.

-PRETTY GOOD.

[TOM COX] OUR BUSINESS IS THE CONFLUENCE OF ENGINEERING AND HORTICULTURE.

IF YOU WANT AN INSTANT LANDSCAPE, IF YOU WANT A TREE THAT YOU CAN HAVE A PICNIC UNDER TODAY, THEN YOU CALL US.

THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 414 TREES THAT WILL BE PLANTED ON THE PLAZA.

ONE OF THE ORIGINAL MANDATES OF THE TREE PORTION WAS TO FIND THE TREES IN THE THREE STATES WHERE PEOPLE PERISHED.

SO, IT WAS NEW YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, AND DC.

WE STARTED OFF WITH THE EASY SOLUTION AND THAT WAS GOING TO NURSERIES.

AND THAT SOLVED ABOUT 50% OF THE PROBLEM INITIALLY.

AND IT GOT EVENTUALLY DOWN TO US GOING LITERALLY TO PEOPLE'S YARDS AND KNOCKING ON THE DOOR AND SAYING WE'RE WORKING ON THE 9/11 MEMORIAL, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO SELL YOUR TREE?

PEOPLE WERE THRILLED TO BE INVOLVED WITH IT.

[COWIE] WHEN YOU DIG A TREE TO TRANSPLANT IT, YOU'VE DETACHED THE TREE FROM MOST OF ITS ROOT SYSTEM AND ALMOST KILLED IT.

THE PROCESS OF BOXING THE TREES EARLY ON ELIMINATED A LOT OF THE RISK.

WE HAD TIME FOR THE TREES TO RECOVER FROM THE TRANSPLANT STRESS, REGROW THEIR ROOT SYSTEMS, AND BE IN A POSITION TO RECOVER VERY QUICKLY WHEN WE MOVE THEM TO THE MEMORIAL SITE.

I THINK IT'S VERY REASONABLE EXPECTATION THAT THOSE TREES WILL LIVE ON 70, 80 YEARS.

[JASON BOND] MY NAME IS JASON BOND, I AM WITH THE BARTLETT TREE EXPERT COMPANY AND I TAKE CARE OF ALL OF THE TREES THAT WILL BE PLANTED AT GROUND ZERO, AT THE MEMORIAL.

WE ARE HERE IN MILLSTONE, NEW JERSEY.

I'VE BEEN ON THIS PROJECT, YOU KNOW, AT THE HOLDING FACILITY HERE SINCE THE BEGINNING, SINCE ALL THE TREES STARTED TO ARRIVE.

ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, WITH THE TREES, BEING ABLE TO JUST BE OUT HERE WHEN THE WIND'S RUSTLING THEIR LEAVES AND JUST LISTENING TO THE DIFFERENT SOUNDS, YOU HEAR THE BIRDS CHIRPING.

THAT'S BEEN REALLY, REALLY COOL.

THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE FACILITY, THERE'S ABOUT 543 TREES.

THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE BUILT IN FOR MISTAKES, BUT I DON'T CONSIDER THAT, I CONSIDER THEM ALL TO BE-- GOING TO BE PLANTED.

THIS TREE, NUMBER 37, BECAUSE OF THIS BLEMISH HERE, WHICH MAY HAVE OCCURRED DURING, YOU KNOW, ANY STAGE OF HANDLING.

SO, THIS TREE HAS BEEN REJECTED BY THE MEMORIAL FOUNDATION.

ALTHOUGH, OFF RECORD, I HAVE DONE TREATMENTS TO THIS IN HOPES THAT SOMEDAY SHE'LL BE PUT BACK IN.

I WOULD IMAGINE IN MAYBE TWO YEARS OR EVEN THREE YEARS, IT WOULD BE HARD-PRESSED TO EVEN SEE THAT THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH THIS TREE.

IF I SEE A TREE AND I SEE THE CALLUS GROWTH IS VERY GOOD, I'LL JUST GIVE HER A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT.

"HEY, GOOD JOB."

OR WHATEVER.

CERTAINLY NOT, "HEY, HOW YOU DOING?

HAVEN'T SEE YOU IN A WHILE."

NOTHING COMICAL LIKE THAT, BUT JUST LITTLE WORDS OR ENCOURAGEMENT.

IT'S SATURDAY, OCTOBER THE SECOND, AND IT'S ABOUT 5:30 IN THE MORNING.

WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY ANTICIPATE LOADING IN THE DARK, BUT BECAUSE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS WE'RE HAVING TO DO IT.

THESE TREES HERE ARE GONNA WEIGH IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF AROUND 60,000 POUNDS.

GONNA DO NINE TREES TODAY.

AND NEXT WEEK WE'RE GONNA DO TEN OR 11 TREES.

[COX] THEY'RE PUT IN STEEL BOXES, THE BOXES WERE BUILT SO THAT THEY CAN FIT ON THE TRUCKS AND FIT THROUGH THE TOLLBOOTHS.

IF THERE IS AN ISSUE ANYWHERE ALONG THE WAY, IT STOPS THE ENTIRE PROCESS WHICH IS A NIGHTMARE BECAUSE IF A GUY HAS A FLAT TIRE, THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THAT ARE POTENTIALLY TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.

[HONKS] YEAH, MY NAME IS-- I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE MYSELF, MY NAME IS PAUL HERTKIN, I LIVE ON STATEN ISLAND.

I'M A NEW YORK CITY UNION TEAMSTER TRUCK DRIVER.

MY ROLL IN THE OPERATION IS THE DELIVERY OF THE TREES TO THE 9/11 MEMORIAL.

I GO DOWN TO THE TREE FARM IN NEW JERSEY AND BRING THEM UP TO MANHATTAN.

I FEEL VERY PROUD TO BE DOING-- BE PART OF THIS.

I NOTICE PEOPLE LOOKING AND POINTING AT THE TREES AND TAKING PICTURES.

PEOPLE STOP AND LOOK AT THE TRUCK, BECAUSE THIS IS AN UNUSUAL CARGO.

IT'S NOT EVERY DAY YOU SEE LARGE TREES BEING DELIVERED TO LOWER MANHATTAN.

[COX] ON THE PLAZA, THE CONDITION IS SO SPECIFIC.

THE TREE TRUNKS ARE PLUS OR MINUS A HALF INCH IN THE EAST, WEST, NORTH, SOUTH AXIS.

WE WERE TRUSTED TO DELIVER A PROMISE THAT WE WOULD HAVE A BEAUTIFUL PLAZA THAT LOOKED LIKE THE ARTIST RENDERINGS AND PETE WALKER'S DESIGN WHEN THEY OPEN.

I TYPICALLY RUN THE BUSINESS FROM A DESK.

BUT THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT JOB TO ME, THAT I WANT TO BE OUT HERE WATCHING EACH LITTLE STEP LAY.

IT'S GOOD, IT'S GOOD HERE, YEAH.

THE PEOPLE THAT WE HAD MANUFACTURE THE TREE TRANSPORTER, THEY WENT AND LASER CUT LITTLE PANELS FOR IT THAT SAID, "MADE IN THE USA," "9/11 MEMORIAL," AT GREAT EXPENSE.

AND IT DIDN'T COST US, IT WAS JUST THEM BEING PROUD TO BE INVOLVED IN IT.

THIS IS A TOUCHSTONE FOR EVERYBODY.

EVERYBODY HAS SOME EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENT TO THIS.

THERE'S A BIT OF A RACE TO GET AS MANY TREES AS WE CAN IN BEFORE WINTER SETS IN.

WE THINK THAT WE CAN GET ANOTHER 34 IN BETWEEN NOW AND NEXT WEEKEND.

SO FAR TODAY, MOMENTUM'S PICKING UP AND I BELIEVE IT WILL HAVE ALL NINE TREES IN THE NEXT THREE OR FOUR HOURS.

WELL, WHAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT FROM DAY ONE ON THIS PROJECT, WAS TO REALLY FIND A WAY OF DOING THIS THAT WAS, I MEAN EVERYONE USES THE WORD "SUSTAINABLE," BUT WAS REALLY SUSTAINABLE.

[ARAD] WHAT LOOKS LIKE AN OPEN PLAZA, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CITY IS IN FACT A GREEN ROOF.

WE ACTUALLY HAD 60, 70 FEET OF PROGRAMS SPACE BELOW THE MEMORIAL PLAZA.

WE HAVE EVERYTHING IN THERE FROM A SUBWAY LINE, A PATH TRAIN, GENERATING PLANT, A SHOPPING CONCOURSE, A MUSEUM... AND THE CHALLENGE WAS REALLY TO CREATE SOMETHING THAT LOOKS LIKE A PARK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CITY.

WE WANT THERE TO BE A SEAMLESS CONTINUITY FROM THE SURROUNDING STREETS AND ON TO THE MEMORIAL PLAZA.

AND TO DO THAT, HAS TAKEN AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF TECHNICAL RIGOR AND HARD WORK.

[COX] IF YOU GO AND CLIMB UNDERNEATH THE PLAZA, IT'S LIKE GOING INTO THE BOWELS OF A SUBMARINE.

THERE'S ALL KINDS OF THINGS, FROM DRAINAGE SECURITY SYSTEMS, TO LITTLE FAIL-SAFE MECHANISMS SO THAT WE CAN TELL WHETHER THE TREES ARE BEING WATERED.

THEY'RE SITTING IN THESE LONG TRENCHES THAT ARE EIGHT FEET WIDE AND RUN THE DISTANCE, IN SOME CASES, OF THE ENTIRE PLAZA.

THERE'S THIS ELABORATE STRUCTURAL SOIL THAT'S GOT EVERYTHING IN IT FROM WORM CASTINGS TO MICRONUTRIENTS.

IT'S QUITE ELABORATE.

[FINDLAY] IF YOU FOLLOW A DROP OF WATER ON THIS PROJECT, RAIN FALLS OUT OF THE SKY, IT RUNS ON THE PLAZA, IT RUNS INTO A DRAIN.

A DRAIN IS CONNECTED DOWN INTO A CISTERN.

WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT TO IRRIGATE THE TREES, WATER IS PULLED FROM THE CISTERN, REINTRODUCED BACK UP INTO THE SOIL TO A DRAIN.

BACK INTO THE CISTERN.

AND AROUND WE GO.

THERE AREN'T VERY MANY PLACES IN THE WORLD THERE AREN'T VERY MANY PLACES IN THE WORLD WHERE THAT TAKES PLACE.

AND I'M SURE THIS IS THE FIRST ONE LIKE IT IN NEW YORK CITY.

IF YOU LOOK OUT INTO THE FIELD THERE, SPORADICALLY YOU CAN SEE SOME VOIDS WHERE TREES USED TO BE.

IT'S HEARTBREAKING FOR ME BECAUSE I'VE WATCHED THESE THINGS GROW UP, BUT YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, IT'S VERY GOOD FOR THE MEMORIAL.

THE WINTER'S NICE OUT HERE.

IT CAN GET A LITTLE BRUTAL.

BUT I LIKE IT BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE TREES.

YOU KNOW, WITHOUT THE LEAVES, YOU CAN SEE ALL THE BRANCHES, ALL THE FINE LITTLE TWIGS.

THE LITTLE NUANCES OF THE TREE'S GROWTH THAT YOU KNOW, IS MASKED BY THE LEAVES IN THE SPRING, SUMMER, AND FALL.

I DO ENJOY COMING DOWN HERE IN THE WINTERTIME.

IT DOES SEEM PEACEFUL AND ESPECIALLY WHEN IT DOES SNOW OUT HERE, IT JUST QUIETS EVERYTHING DOWN.

YOU JUST SEE ALL THE LITTLE ANIMAL TRACKS, DEER TRACKS, FOX... -[GEESE HONKING] -OF COURSE, GEESE.

I BELIEVE I'VE BEEN PUT ON THIS EARTH TO TAKE CARE OF THESE TREES AND TAKE CARE OF TREES IN GENERAL.

THEY'RE DOING A LOT MORE FOR US THAN MOST PEOPLE REALIZE.

OR THEY JUST SEEM TO DISREGARD THEM.

[MURMURING] [CABO] THEY'RE HERE TODAY TO TAKE THE SURVIVOR TREE BACK.

I'M HAPPY SHE'S GOING BACK.

IT'S JUST A LOT OF MEANING WHEN I LOOK AT THE TREE.

IT'S AN AMAZING THING, THE WAY SHE GREW BACK.

AND I KNOW THAT ALL THE FAMILIES AND EVERYBODY WHO PERISHED IN THAT DAY, THIS TREE RESEMBLES THE MEMORY OF THEM AND ALSO THE PEOPLE WHO RECUPERATED AND THE CITY TRYING TO RECUPERATE.

-WOW.

-NOW I DON'T HAVE TO BOTHER YOU ANYMORE, -"DID YOU WATER IT?"

-[LAUGHS] "DID YOU DO THIS TO IT?"

MAKES YOU FEEL HOW TIME FLIES, MAN.

MY KID IS LIKE THIS NOW, AND SHE WAS IN MY WIFE'S BELLY.

-WHAT'S UP, RON?

-MAN, HOW YOU DOING?

-ALL RIGHT, HOW IS EVERYTHING?

-LIFE IS GOOD.

-BIG DAY, HUH?

-BIG DAY.

BABY IS GOING HOME.

IT'S AN EMOTIONAL DAY, YOU KNOW, REALLY.

-IT REALLY IS FOR ME.

-I KNOW, I KNOW.

AND I CAN'T WAIT TO GO SEE HER DOWN THERE.

-AH, SHE'S GOT A NICE SPOT.

-YEP.

-SHE'S SO DIFFERENT, YOU'LL NOTICE.

-YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.

ESPECIALLY IN APRIL WHEN SHE FLOWERS, YEAH.

YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS A MIXED EMOTION 'CAUSE THIS MEANS THAT IT'S-- IT'S REAL, YOU KNOW.

THIS MEANS THAT WE'RE GONNA-- WE'RE GONNA BRING HER HOME.

AND WITH THAT COMES THE MEMORIES OF THE FACT THAT IT HAD TO LEAVE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

BUT THIS TREE TELLS A STORY IN JUST ONE LOOK, YOU KNOW?

IT'S GOT THE BURNED BARK OF 9/11, AND THE NEW LIFE AFTER, SO IT'S AMAZING.

[CABO] WHERE WERE YOU WORKING IN 2001?

[VEGA] DDC, DEPARTMENT OF DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION.

-YOU WERE DOWN THERE OR... -YEAH, I WAS THERE FOR TEN MONTHS.

TEN MONTHS ON THAT HELLHOLE.

SO, WHEN WE SAW THIS TREE, YOU KNOW, IT GAVE US A LOT OF INSPIRATION.

I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE LAST LIVING THING TO GET OUT OF THAT SITE.

ALL OF THESE LIMBS, THEY'RE ALL DETERIORATING.

OVER TIME THEY'RE GONNA GIVE.

-YOU KNOW THAT, YOU NOW... -WE KNOW THAT.

WE KNOW THOUGH, YOU KNOW.

WE JUST HOPE SHE LIVES A LITTLE LONGER THAN US, THAT'S ALL.

I'M PRETTY SURE IT WILL.

-YEAH, IT'S GONNA BE FUN TAKING MY KIDS DOWN THERE-- -OH YEAH, DEFINITELY.

-...AND PAYING A VISIT.

-YEAH, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO TELLING MY GRANDKIDS.

THEN I'M GONNA CALL RON AND HE'S GONNA BRING OUT -THE RED CARPET.

-ABSOLUTELY, YEAH.

-GREEN CARPET.

-[LAUGHS] THIS IS RICHIE CABO, HE NURSED THE TREE BACK TO HEALTH I'M SO PROUD TO BE A PARKS DEPARTMENT WORKER HERE TODAY, THANK YOU.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING?

I'VE BEEN WITH YOU SINCE 2001.

REALLY?

BEFORE THAT?

BEFORE THAT I WAS A CORRECTION OFFICER.

I'M RETIRED FROM THERE, I WAS SHOT IN LINE OF DUTY.

[VEGA] SHE'S GONNA GROW EVENLY SHE LOOKS A LITTLE BALD ON ONE SIDE, BUT AS SOON AS THE SUN HITS IT, IT'LL START REACHING OUT TOWARDS THE SUN.

IT'LL GROW OUT EVENLY, SO IT'S GONNA LOOK GOOD.

I SEE THE FUTURE FOR THIS TREE.

I SEE WHEN IT FLOWERS IN APRIL.

YOU KNOW, AND THE MOMENT OF LIFE THAT COMES, THIS LITTLE WHITE PETALS, WHEN THEY FALL.

YOU KNOW, I SEE, I SEE POETRY IN IT.

[FINDLAY] IN THE PAST THREE MONTHS, THERE'S BEEN A REQUEST.

IT STARTED OFF AS JUST A LITTLE EMAIL I GOT AND EVENTUALLY EXPLODED INTO A VERY LARGE ISSUE REGARDING THE SWEETGUMS.

AND THE ELIMINATION OF THE SWEETGUMS AROUND THE GLADE.

WE HAD ALWAYS BLENDED IN SWEETGUMS WHICH HAD A BRIGHTER FOLIAGE COLOR THAN THE OAKS.

WHEN SEPTEMBER ROLLED AROUND, THEY WOULD START TO LEAF OUT.

THE LEAVES WOULD TURN BLOOD RED, PRETTY MUCH.

IT WOULD BE THIS ALMOST RING OF FIRE AROUND THE CEREMONY SITE EVERY YEAR.

[WALKER] WHY WE WANTED THEM THERE WAS FOR THAT MOMENT.

I THINK LANDSCAPE OFTEN HAS MOMENTS, LIKE GOING TO NEW ENGLAND.

YOU'RE ONLY UP THERE FOR A DAY.

CHERRY TREES IN WASHINGTON ARE ONLY THERE A WEEK.

BUT IT'S A GREAT WEEK.

I'VE WORKED WITH PETER A NUMBER OF YEARS NOW AND WE'VE HAD, YOU KNOW, GOOD YEARS AND BAD YEARS.

THE MORE I LOOKED AT IT, THE MORE I THOUGHT THAT THAT CIRCLE REALLY COMPETED WITH THE DESIGN.

OUR PERSPECTIVE WAS THERE'S NOT MUCH ON EARTH THAT'S GONNA COMPETE WITH THE 200-FOOT SQUARE BLACK VOIDS THAT ARE THERE.

THEY ARE TREMENDOUSLY POWERFUL.

I SUGGESTED THAT WE TAKE THE SWEETGUMS AND DISPERSE THEM THROUGHOUT AND WE'D HAVE A MUCH MORE HETEROGENEOUS FIELD OF TREES.

AND I THOUGHT THESE LITTLE PIECES OF RED THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT WOULD BE HORRIBLE, REALLY AWFUL.

AND SO, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE FELT THAT THOSE TREES FORMING THAT SHAPE DIDN'T BELONG IN THE MEMORIAL PLAZA.

AND I JUST THINK, THAT YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT A DESIGN PROCESS IS, IT'S ABOUT TRYING THINGS AND SEEING IF THEY WORK AND IF THEY DON'T, MOVING ON.

HE WAS RIGHT.

AS AN ARCHITECT, I HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT DESIGN INTENT WAS THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WERE THE VOIDS, NOT TREES.

AND SO THE SWEETGUMS WERE DELETED FROM THE JOB.

[COX] THE BREAKING NEWS ON THE SWEETGUMS IS THAT RON VEGA WITH THE MEMORIAL REACHED OUT TO FLIGHT 93, WE HAVE 40 SWEETGUMS, THERE WERE 40 VICTIMS ON FLIGHT 93.

THE 40 SWEETGUMS ARE BEING SHIPPED TO FLIGHT 93 MEMORIAL.

I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT THESE 40 AMERICAN SWEETGUMS HAVE NOW REACHED THE PINNACLE OF THEIR REPRESENTATION.

THEY'RE NOT JUST A SPARKLE OF RED AROUND THE GLADE ONCE A YEAR, NOW THEY STAND FOR EACH ONE OF THESE HEROES THAT GAVE THEIR LIFE HERE ON THIS SITE.

[JOHN REYNOLDS] IT'S NOT VERY HARD, AT LEAST IN MY MIND, TO BELIEVE THAT THOSE TREES PROVIDE AN EMBRACE.

THEY PROVIDE STRENGTH, THEY PROVIDE SHADE, MAYBE THEY CAN PROVIDE SOME PEACE.

[VEGA] THIS IS THE BEST POSSIBLE OUTCOME FOR THESE TREES.

THEY GIVE HOPE.

I MEAN, THIS IS A SITE WHERE A TREMENDOUS TRAGEDY TOOK PLACE.

INTERMINGLED INTO THESE BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS ARE STILL SOME OF THE REMAINS OF THE PEOPLE THAT GOT KILLED HERE.

SO, THESE TREES ARE BECOMING ONE WITH THEM.

THEY WILL BE THE LIVING PIECE OF THIS SITE.

[NEWS ANNOUNCER #4] A SWEEPING PLAZA FILLED WITH OAK TREES.

REFLECTING POOLS, EACH WITH 30-FOOT WATER FALLS, AND THE NAMES OF VICTIMS INSCRIBED IN BRONZE.

THAT'S WHAT VISITORS TO THE 9/11 MEMORIAL WILL EXPERIENCE BEGINNING THIS SEPTEMBER, BUT FIRST YOU'LL NEED A TICKET.

BECAUSE OF ONGOING CONSTRUCTION ON THE WORLD TRADE CENTER SITE, THERE IS LIMITED CAPACITY AND IMPORTANTLY ADVANCED RESERVATIONS WILL BE TEMPORARILY REQUIRED.

[NEWS ANNOUNCER #4] DANIELS TOLD A CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE THURSDAY ONLY 1,500 PEOPLE WILL BE ALLOWED IN AT ANY ONE TIME.

VISITORS WILL GO THROUGH A SECURITY CHECK 9/11 FAMILIES WILL BE GIVEN PRIORITY.

INCLUDING A SEPARATE ENTRY POINT AND THERE'LL BE...

THANK YOU.

ARCHITECTURE PROBABLY LOOKS BETTER THE FIRST DAY.

LANDSCAPE LOOKS BETTER THE 15th YEAR.

STILL, THIS LOOKS PRETTY GOOD.

AND THE SIZE OF THE TREES IS VERY SATISFYING.

THE QUALITY OF THE TREES, I MEAN SORT OF PERFECTION OF THEM IS REALLY BEAUTIFUL.

-HI, RON.

-[VEGA] WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BABY NOW?

-WELL, OUR BABY.

-WELL... [LAUGHS] MY VIEW IS, "WE DID IT."

OH, IT'S BEAUTIFUL, GLAD YOU'D STICK AROUND.

OR "WE ALMOST DID IT."

[LAUGHS] -WE WILL DID IT IN A BIT.

-THAT'S RIGHT, RIGHT.

WE STILL GOT A LITTLE MORE DOING TO DO.

[WALKER] INCIDENTALLY, I THINK THE SURVIVOR TREE IS-- IT LOOKS REALLY GOOD, I'M GLAD THEY DID THE CIRCLE -RATHER THAN THE SQUARE.

-OH, YES, YES.

I AGREE TOO.

[WALKER] AND THE TREE LOOKS GOOD.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA-- ALL OF US, WE'RE GONNA BE GONE, THIS THING'LL BE HERE.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

-THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT, ISN'T IT?

-THAT IS THE WHOLE POINT.

[MAN ON PA SYSTEM] CHARLES WILLIAM MATHERS.

[WOMAN ON PA SYSTEM] JONATHAN R. HOHMANN.

[WOMAN #2 ON PA SYSTEM] GANESH K. LADKAT.

[MAN #2 ON PA SYSTEM] BETTY ANN ONG.

[WOMAN #3 ON PA SYSTEM] CIRA MARIE PATTI.

[MAN #3 ON PA SYSTEM] THOMAS WARREN HOHLWECK, JR. [WOMAN #4 ON PA SYSTEM] JOSE A. GUADALUPE.

AND MY HERO, AND MY FATHER, HARRY GLENN.

DADDY, I LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU.

I WISH YOU COULD SEE ME NOW, BECAUSE EVERY DAY I STRIVE TO MAKE YOU PROUD.

MY NAME'S ANN AND I'M GONNA BE LEADING YOUR TOUR.

THE TRIBUTE CENTER IS A PROJECT OF THE SEPTEMBER 11th FAMILIES' ASSOCIATION.

EVERYONE THAT LEADS TOURS HAS A PERSONAL CONNECTION BACK TO THE SEPTEMBER 11th STORY.

I'M A TEACHER, AND SO, I FIGURE , WELL, I CAN TELL MY STORY ANX D ANA D HAA LFHA YLFEA YRSEA VEI' BVEEE BN EEDON INDOG INITG IT I FIGURE , WELL, I CAN TELL MY STORY AND IT'S BEEN AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE.

WHEN YOU WALK UP TO THE POOL, YOU'RE ACTUALLY STANDING IN THE ORIGINAL BUILDINGS.

THAT LAST ROW OF TREES IS THE OUTSIDE WALLS OF WHERE THE BUILDINGS WOULD HAVE BEEN.

THERE ARE ACORNS.

AND I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO TAKE ACORNS.

I'VE BEEN CARRYING THIS ONE AROUND SINCE LAST YEAR.

BUT YOU CAN TAKE-- PICK UP AN ACORN AND TAKE IT HOME AND PLANT IT.

I ACTUALLY WAS COMING IN JUST WITHIN THE FIRST DAYS AFTER THEY'D BEEN PLANTED AND I WAS THINKING, WATCHING THE BUILDING GO UP-- WORLD TRADE CENTER ONE-- HAS BEEN EXCITING.

AND WATCHING THE POOLS TAKE SHAPE WAS EXCITING.

BUT THE THING THAT MADE ME CRY WAS THE TREES.

IT WAS THE FIRST SIGN OF LIFE HERE.

LIFE HAD COME BACK HERE AND IT-- I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW POWERFUL THAT WOULD BE.

BUT IT WAS VERY, VERY POWERFUL.

MY HUSBAND'S NAME IS ON THAT POOL, THE SOUTH POOL.

BRUCE WAS FIREFIGHTER IN SQUAD 41.

WHICH IS NEAR YANKEE STADIUM, IN THE BRONX.

AND ON SEPTEMBER 11th, I NEVER DOUBTED THAT HE WOULD BE HERE.

BECAUSE HE WAS PART OF A SQUAD THAT WAS TRAINED FOR THIS TYPE OF EVENT.

I WOULD HEAR THE EVENTS OF THAT DAY UNFOLD ON MY CAR RADIO, THEN WATCH THEM ON MY TELEVISION.

THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WOULD COME TO MY HOME AROUND MIDNIGHT TO TELL ME THAT BRUCE AND THE OTHER MEN FROM SQUAD 41 WERE UNACCOUNTED FOR.

AND MY DAUGHTERS AND I EMBARKED ON A JOURNEY THAT WE NEVER EXPECTED TO BE ON.

I WOULD HAVE A PHONE CALL IN MARCH OF 2002 SAYING THEY HAD FOUND MY HUSBAND'S BODY.

HIS BODY WOULD BE CARRIED OUT BY MEN FROM SQUAD 41, COVERED WITH THE AMERICAN FLAG, TREATED WITH THE UTMOST RESPECT.

THE FIRST TIME I SAW THE MEMORIAL, IT WAS AT NIGHT ACTUALLY.

AND MY FIRST REACTION WAS, "THEY DID GOOD."

THAT'S VERY POOR ENGLISH, BUT THEY DID GOOD.

IT TOOK TEN YEARS, BUT IT WAS WORTH TEN YEARS 'CAUSE IT'S AN AMAZING MEMORIAL.

WHEN I WALKED OVER AND SAW HIS NAME, IT REALLY TOOK MY BREATH AWAY.

BRUCE'S OTHER JOB, 'CAUSE MOST FIREFIGHTERS HAVE TWO JOBS, WAS AN ARBORIST.

HE HAD HIS OWN TREE BUSINESS IN BERGEN COUNTY AND HE WAS VERY INTENT ON ALWAYS SAVING A TREE.

HE WOULD HAVE LOVED THE TREES.

HE PROBABLY WOULD'VE BEEN LOOKING, YOU KNOW, "THAT ONE NEEDS A LITTLE PRUNING OVER THERE."

-YAY.

-IT'LL BE GOOD TO GO OUT THERE.

[SVENDSEN] TODAY'S A SPECIAL DAY FOR US, BECAUSE IT'S THE FIRST TIME WE'RE GOING BACK TO A FEW OF THE LIVING MEMORIALS THAT WE DOCUMENTED SEVERAL YEARS AGO.

[CAMPBELL] WE ARE VISITING THE ROCKAWAY WATERFRONT TRIBUTE PARK ON THE ROCKAWAY PENINSULA IN QUEENS.

THIS IS A SITE THAT WAS CREATED AS A LIVING MEMORIAL, JUST AFTER 9/11.

IT STARTED IN EARLY 2002.

-BERNIE?

HI.

-HELLO.

-HI, HOW ARE DOING?

-GREAT, HI, I'M LINDSAY CAMPBELL, -U.S. FOREST SERVICE.

-LINDSAY, I'M BERNIE WARNOCK.

-HI, BERNIE.

-ERIKA, U.S. FOREST SERVICE.

-NICE TO MEET YOU.

-OH, NICE TO MEET YOU.

MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN ROCKAWAY HAD LOVED ONES IN 9/11.

EITHER THEY WERE FIREMEN OR THEY WERE POLICE OR THEY ACTUALLY WORKED IN THE WORLD TRADE CENTER.

[CAMPBELL] IT'S A VIEWSHED SITE, SO IT'S A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE GATHERED ON SEPTEMBER 11th AND WITNESSED THE CRASH AND WATCHED THE TOWERS BURN.

I WAS ON THE BOULEVARD HERE LOOKING OUT AT THE TOWERS.

I MET MY SON THERE, WHO'S A FIREMAN.

WE FORMALLY DOCUMENTED THIS SITE FROM ABOUT 2002 TO 2006.

IT WENT FROM BEING JUST A FIELD OF WEEDS TO HAVING A LOT OF THE SCULPTURAL ELEMENTS.

AND YOU CAN JUST SEE IN THE PLANTINGS THAT THE CARE AND THE MAINTENANCE IS ONGOING.

THE PARK IN THE CITY, AND THE WHOLE 9/11 PARK IS REALLY, VERY PRETTY.

I LIKE IT.

I'VE BEEN THERE.

I JUST-- THIS IS HANDS-ON.

-OKAY.

-YEP.

THE PEOPLE CAN SIT HERE THEY CAN PICK A FLOWER THEY CAN PLANT A FLOWER.

-I THINK IT'S MORE PERSONAL.

-[CAMPBELL AND SVENDSEN] YEAH.

AND OBVIOUSLY THE PEOPLE IN ROCKAWAY MAKE IT PERSONAL.

THAT IDEA OF SORT OF DIRECT ENGAGEMENT IS SOMETHING WE'RE REALLY INTERESTED IN.

THAT PEOPLE DON'T ALWAYS JUST WANT TO VIEW, THEY WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN CREATING SOMETHING.

AND MAINTAINING SOMETHING, IT'S HARD WORK, BUT I CAN SEE THE PRIDE THAT YOU GUYS HAVE.

IT FLOWS NATURALLY BECAUSE OF ALL THE FEELING THAT WE HAVE.

AND THE COMMUNITIES, THEY LOVE IT HERE.

WE NEED THE MEMORIAL THAT'S AT THE CRASH SITE THAT'S AT THE EVENT SPACE BUT PEOPLE ALSO NEED THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHAPE MEMORIALS IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES.

[CHRIS LEGGIO] LET'S START LOOKING AT THE STRUCTURE.

YOU SEE WHERE YOU HAVE THIS NICE 90-DEGREE ANGLE?

-YES.

-THAT'S A SCAFFOLDING BRANCH.

-THIS?

-YES.

THAT'S GONNA DO WELL.

THE PROGRAM AT JOHN BOWNE HIGH SCHOOL STARTED ABOUT 1917.

SO, IT'S A LONG TRADITION.

WE HAVE ABOUT 5-600 KIDS THAT ARE IN THE AG PROGRAM.

THIS IS THE 9/11 HOOP HOUSE.

THIS IS WHERE WE HOUSE APPROXIMATELY 420 SURVIVOR TREES.

[KLAUDIA CZARNOCKA] WHEN WE FOUND OUT THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE THE PROJECT LEADERS OF THE 9/11 SURVIVOR TREE SEEDLING PROGRAM, I WAS VERY EXCITED.

THE BARTLETT TREE EXPERTS TOOK ABOUT 500 SEEDS FROM THAT MOTHER TREE AND THAT OF THOSE 500, 421 GERMINATED.

AND AFTER A YEAR, THEY CAME TO OUR FARM.

BECAUSE THEY NEEDED A NEW HOME.

I ALWAYS HAD AN INTEREST IN WORKING WITH PLANTS.

ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS, ME AND KLAUDIA CZARNOCKA GO INTO THE HOOP HOUSE, WE CHECK THE IRRIGATION SYSTEM.

THEY'RE ACTUALLY GETTING WATER TO THE TREES.

WE GO THROUGH EVERY ROW, EVERY SINGLE TREE, ONE BY ONE.

IT'S A LOT OF WEEDING.

[CZARNOCKA] I GREW UP ON A FARM IN POLAND.

ON SEPTEMBER 11th, 2001, I WAS ABOUT FOUR YEARS OLD.

I WAS FIVE YEARS OLD.

I WAS IN KINDERGARTEN IN THE CLASSROOM.

THE SURVIVOR TREE, IT WAS LIKE A LITTLE BIT OF HOPE FROM JUST ONE LEAF THAT CAME OUT OF THE TREE THAT COULD RELATE TO ANY ONE OF US THAT HAD GONE THROUGH ANY TRAGEDY.

YOU JUST NEED A LITTLE BIT OF STRENGTH TO SURVIVE.

I AM DEFINITELY PROUD TO BE A PART OF THIS.

IT'S AN HONOR TO EVEN TOUCH ONE OF THOSE TREES.

I'M GETTING EMOTIONAL.

BUT IT MADE ME PROUD, IT MADE BE PROUD TO STAND NEXT TO THAT TREE AND KNOW THAT THAT TREE SURVIVED.

THAT THE MOTHER OF THESE TREES SURVIVED AND THAT'S GIVING OFF OTHER SURVIVORS.

[LEGGIO] SO FAR, SOME TREES HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED TO CITIES LIKE BOSTON, WHERE THEY EXPERIENCED SIMILAR TRAGEDIES.

AND THE REMAINING TREES, I'M SURE WILL FIND A HOME IN AREAS LIKE THAT.

THAT LOOKS GREAT, LOOK AT THE NEW GROWTH.

WE'RE GIVING YOU SOMETHING VERY PRECIOUS AND VERY SPECIAL TO US.

THE BABY OF OUR SURVIVOR TREE.

SHE'S NOT A NATIVE NEW YORKER ANYMORE, SHE'S A BOSTON TREE.

YOU TAKE CARE OF HER.

THANK YOU.

[CABO] THIS IS THE TIME OF THE YEAR THAT THE 9/11 SURVIVOR TREE, SHE TYPICALLY WILL FLOWER.

WHEN WE WALKED INTO THE MEMORIAL AND THE WOMAN WORKING AT THE DESK, SHE APPROACHED ME, SAID SHE WANTED TO SHAKE MY HAND.

SHE TREATED ME LIKE I WAS A ROCK STAR.

I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE THAT.

TO SEE IT HERE TODAY FLOWERING AND PEOPLE COMING TO VISIT IT, IT'S LIKE A NICE PART OF THE STORY.

THIS TREE IS PROLIFIC, THE WAY THAT IT WILL SEED OUT SO I'M SURE THAT BIRDS ARE SPREADING SEEDS OF THIS TREE ALL AROUND MANHATTAN AND THIS AREA.

SO, IN MANY MORE WAYS THAN ONE, THIS TREE HAS COME HOME.

[BOND] THE TREES SEEM TO HAVE PUT ON A FAIR AMOUNT OF GROWTH.

GLAD TO SEE THAT.

AND THEY'RE SUSTAINING NICELY.

GOOD.

FOR THE FIRST TIME, I BROUGHT MY FAMILY TO THE TREES, TO SEE MY WORK.

AND UM... YOU KNOW...

I'M GLAD THEY CAN FINALLY SEE WHAT I'VE DONE OVER THESE YEARS.

[THERESA BOND] WHEN WE LEARNED THAT JASON WAS GOING TO BE TAKING CARE OF THE TREES, IT WAS A GREAT HONOR.

THIS WAS YOUR DESTINY, THIS IS WHY YOU ARE HERE.

SO, THAT YOU COULD TAKE CARE OF THESE TREES AND WE WOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE OUR KIDS HERE ONE DAY AND SHOW THEM THE MEMORIAL.

[BOND] NOT TOO FAR FROM NOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE ALL THE TREES THAT ARE DESTINED FOR THE MEMORIAL IN THE MEMORIAL PROPER.

I WON'T HAVE THEM ANYMORE.

IT'S GONNA BE SAD.

IT'S MY KIDS GOING AWAY TO COLLEGE.

SO MUCH TIME AND BLOOD AND SWEAT WAS PUT INTO THEM.

YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT THERE ANYMORE.

IT HIT ME HARDER TODAY.

DO YOU WORRY ABOUT PEOPLE CLIMBING ON THE TREES AND HURTING THEM?

NO, I DON'T WORRY ABOUT THEM CLIMBING.

IN FACT, I'D LOVE FOR THEM TO CLIMB ON THE TREES.

BUT IT'S NOT...

IT WOULDN'T WORK OUT.

THEY WOULD CALL YOU DOWN AND SAY, "GET DOWN OUT OF OUR TREE."

I HOPE THAT THE PEOPLE COME HERE JUST REFLECT.

STOP AND TAKE A BREATH.

JUST HAVE A-- FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, HAVE A GREATER APPRECIATION FOR TREES.

YOU ARE A LITTLE KOOKY ABOUT TREES.

I'M KOOKY, SO WHAT?

[LEAVES RUSTLING] TODAY IS MAY 15th, 2014, IT IS THE VERY FIRST MOMENT THAT WE OPEN THE ENTIRE MEMORIAL TO THE PUBLIC.

NO FENCES, NO SCREENING.

JUST CROSS THE STREET AND YOU'RE IN THE MEMORIAL.

IT'S ALSO THE FIRST DAY WE OPEN THE MUSEUM.

SO, IT'S A SPECIAL DAY.

THERE'S NO CEREMONY, THERE'S NO FANFARE, BUT IT WAS A MAGICAL MOMENT WHERE THE SITE IS STARTING TO BECOME PART OF NEW YORK CITY AGAIN.

WHERE YOU CAN JUST WALK ONTO THE PLAZA.

AND YOU SAW NEW YORKERS JUST DO THAT.

WITHOUT A RESERVATION, WITHOUT A SECURITY SCREENING.

IT FELT LIKE THE BEGINNING OF THAT CHAPTER.

[ROBERT POWERS] MY OFFICE LOOKS OUT ON THE PARK.

SO, I COME DOWN HERE AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK, HAVE MY LUNCH.

I HAVE SOME FRIENDS WHO WERE-- THEIR NAMES ARE ON THE MEMORIAL SO I TALK TO THEM AND LEAVE LITTLE TRIBUTES LIKE EVERYONE DOES.

YOU HAVE THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS HERE.

YOU KNOW, YOU CAN COME HERE AND YOU CAN REFLECT.

YOU CAN COME HERE LIKE A PARK AND JUST ENJOY IT.

[ARAD] WHEN I SENT IN MY PROPOSAL FOR THE MEMORIAL COMPETITION I ENDED TALKING ABOUT THE SITE AS A PLACE FOR WORK AND PLAY, AS WELL AS A SITE FOR MEMORY.

AND WHEN YOU VISIT THE MEMORIAL THAT ONCE IN A LIFETIME PILGRIMAGE, AND YOU SEE THESE OFFICE WORKERS, AND YOU SEE THESE RESIDENTS AND YOU UNDERSTAND HOW THIS ATTACK HIT PEOPLE JUST LIKE THEM.

I THINK IT DEEPENS THE MEANING.

IT'S A LITTLE PREMATURE TO JUDGE THE SUCCESS OF A MEMORIAL AS A PUBLIC SPACE, I THINK YOU HAVE TO GIVE IT TIME.

THIS IS A LIVING PART OF THE CITY AND IT WILL EVOLVE OVER TIME.

[WALKER] I THINK THE BIG SPECULATION OF COURSE IS, WILL THIS MAINTAIN THE MEMORY?

WILL IT HOLD ITS OWN?

WILL IT WORK LIKE LINCOLN MEMORIAL OR VIETNAM MEMORIAL, WHERE EVEN YEARS LATER PEOPLE STILL COME AND USE IT IN A REVERENTIAL WAY.

RIGHT NOW, THEY WILL NOT ALLOW ASSEMBLY.

[ARAD] IF YOU THINK OF THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL IN WASHINGTON DC, IT WAS SOME 40 YEARS BETWEEN IT'S DEDICATION AND THAT VERY FAMOUS SPEECH, "I HAVE A DREAM."

WHEN THE MEMORIAL WAS FIRST DEDICATED, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN INCONCEIVABLE TO HAVE THOUGHT OF THAT HAPPENING THERE 40 YEARS LATER.

AND I THINK THE SAME THING IS HAPPENING HERE.

I THINK THAT THERE ARE TOO MANY RESTRICTIONS, TOO MANY RULES, BUT I'M SURE THAT WILL CHANGE OVER TIME.

[VEGA] YOU'RE GONNA LOVE THIS PLACE IN 15 YEARS.

WHEN THESE BRANCHES START TO INTERTWINE, WHEN YOU HAVE NO SKY ABOVE YOU, JUST UNTIL YOU GET TO THAT VOID.

I CAN'T WAIT FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.

I SEE A HINT OF IT IN CERTAIN AREAS.

ONE OF OUR WORST MASSACRES WAS HERE.

AND YET WE HAVE THESE BEAUTIFUL, MAJESTIC TREES.

[COX] IT'S GONNA BECOME OLDER AND GRIZZLED AND THOSE PERFECT COBBLES ARE GONNA BE NOT SO PERFECT.

THE TREES ARE GONNA BE GNARLY.

AND TO ME THAT'S KIND OF LIKE GROWING A CALLUS OVER THE WOUND.

[VAN HINE] IT'S THE WHOLE IDEA THAT LIFE GOES THROUGH DIFFERENT STAGES, JUST LIKE THE SEASONS, AND IN THE SUMMER THEY WERE BEAUTIFUL AND GREEN.

AND NOW THIS TIME OF YEAR, THEY'RE CHANGING COLOR, THEY'RE FALLING OFF AND THEN IT'LL BECOME DORMANT AND IT WILL LOOK A LITTLE SADDER HERE.

BUT THEN COME SPRING, THEY'LL BE BACK.

[SVENDSEN] MEMORIALS ARE MARKING TIME, BUT THEY'RE ALSO SYMBOLS OF THE FUTURE AND OUR SURVIVAL GOING FORWARD.

THEY'RE REFLECTIVE SPACES BUT THEY'RE SPACES THAT SAY JUST AS MUCH ABOUT THE FUTURE AND WHO WE WANT TO BE.

[WALKER] I THINK WHY LIVING MEMORIALS ARE POPULAR AND HAVE ALWAYS BEEN IS THAT THE TREES REPRESENT LIFE TO PEOPLE.

AND I THINK THESE TREES EMBODY THAT AT SOME KIND OF FOLKLORE LEVEL.

AND THIS IS PARTLY ABOUT REMEMBERING, AND PARTLY, YOU KNOW, NEW YORK IS NOT DONE.

DOWNTOWN IS NOT DONE.

WE'RE GONNA RISE AGAIN.