Located in Washington's Olympic National Park, the Tree of Life is a remarkably resilient Sitka spruce tree that continues to grow between two cliffs with its roots exposed.
The extraordinary tree seems to defy gravity along the craggy Pacific coastline.
However, tourists' reckless behavior is threatening the tree's survival and exacerbating coastal erosion.
In an Instagram post, Tourons of National Parks (@touronsofnationalparks) shared a disturbing photo of tourists climbing on the tree.
You can see a total disregard for the iconic tree's vulnerability as multiple people mount its roots.
"It isn't natural for a tree to be alive and well with its roots exposed and holding onto nothing but air," the account wrote. "This tree goes against all the rules of science and biology. It shouldn't be standing. It shouldn't be alive. And yet it is!"
However, it might not be alive and standing for much longer if people treat the tree like this while visiting the park.
Calling out tourists in similar situations has sparked outrage online and helped hold people accountable for ignoring national park rules. Unfortunately, the Tourons of National Parks Instagram page is filled with countless examples of people who disrespect nature and show a lack of common sense while recreating outdoors.
If you care about preserving the planet's most amazing natural resources, you can post about park violations online and alert national park authorities. Also, set a positive example to others by following park rules, such as staying on designated hiking trails and keeping safe distances from wildlife.
"This is a total disgrace to Mother Nature and our parks," one user commented. "It NEEDS to be STOPPED."
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$200 or more 💰 "Very uncool. Don't these people have any respect for future visitors who would like to enjoy it too?" another Instagrammer wrote. "NPS needs to put a fence around it."
"You want a jungle gym, go find a playground where they are made of metal," someone else suggested.
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