The 200-year old cottonwood tree that has been a staple at Prescott’s Mile High Middle School will remain standing. Prescott Unified School District officials had considered cutting down the grand old cottonwood tree near the sports field due to safety concerns.
For the past several years, many of the tree’s limbs had to be cut down to maintain the health of the tree. In addition, the trunk was shored up with concrete. District officials debated whether or not to remove the tree entirely, and ultimately decided on bringing in professional arborists to trim problematic limbs and to fence off the tree area to ensure the safety of students, staff, and visitors.