Moon tree? What's a moon tree. That is a good question. While researching spots for a virtual cache, I came across Utah's moon tree. To find out more read below which was taken from https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/moon_tree.html
"Apollo 14 launched in the late afternoon of January 31, 1971 on what was to be our third trip to the lunar surface. Five days later Alan Shepard and Edgar Mitchell walked on the Moon while Stuart Roosa, a former U.S. Forest Service smoke jumper, orbited above in the command module. Packed in small containers in Roosa's personal kit were hundreds of tree seeds, part of a joint NASA/USFS project. Upon return to Earth, the seeds were germinated by the Forest Service. Known as the "Moon Trees", the resulting seedlings were planted throughout the United States (often as part of the nation's bicentennial in 1976) and the world. They stand as a tribute to astronaut Roosa and the Apollo program."
The mentioned website shows the locations of know moon trees. You can click on the hyperlink and learn more about each one.
Utah had two moon trees, a Douglas Fir that was on the grounds of the State Capitol Building. This one was destroyed, split in half, by a freak tornado on August 11, 1999.
The additional way point has the location of the last remaining moon tree. Who knows how long it will last with the closure of the prison and redevelopment coming to the area. Here is a link to an article from KSL about this moon tree.
https://kslnewsradio.com/1929595/utahs-lone-surviving-moon-tree-faces-uncertain-future/
I stopped by and took some pictures of the moon tree while passing through the area a couple of months ago.
NASA launched the Artemis rocket on November 16,2022. This will be the return of the US to the moon. They have stated that they will also be reviving the Moon Tree program. Hopefully soon there will be moon trees around.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/inside-fs/delivering-mission/apply/infinity-and-beyond-project-moon-tree-take-ii
Feel free to find the tree and post a picture in your log!