"This one's special partly because of its great architectural qualities. I see a thing of beauty, a living thing of beauty," said Dr. Richard Criley of the UH Landscape Advisory Committee.

One's man's beauty is another man's obstacle. So the tree will be cut down.

"The tree couldn't stay because it was really in the center of where the recreation center was going to be constructed," UH Campus Center director Sarah Yap said.

The rec center is Phase 2 of a $35 million student driven project. It will expand the student Campus Center, adding a gymnasium, a fitness room, lockers and showers.

The Weeping Fig's canopy is over a hundred feet wide. The root system is just as big.

"It was definitely not an easy decision," Yap said.

It wasn't easy because the tree's about 90 years old, dating back to when botanist Joseph Rock worked at UH. Rock was given 20 acres of land to plant trees on campus and the Weeping Fig was one of them.

A student petition is circulating to save the tree. The Outdoor Circle agrees. Some feel the new building should be on the other side of the Campus Center.

"We've got an old parking lot. We've got some old temporary buildings. It would have fit there much better," Criley said.

But planners said the site settled on is perfect.

"It's a very natural site in order to bring people to the center of campus," Yap said.

Groundbreaking for the rec center will be next summer so the Weeping Fig's days are numbered.

To see the student petition go to www.herbarium.hawaii.edu.

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