Well, I had a feeling that the park would make that decision and my first thoughts are that, I believe is a waste of not utilising what can be salvaged, to create all sorts of wood work pieces that would last another couple of hundred years, giving the opportunity of local and other timber artists to create a long lasting memory of that old tree, instead of letting it rot, what a waste.
Now, I don't know of what condition, amount of salvageable wood is let from that tree as it has exploded on impact, I'm sure it will be large parts of that tree that are still usable and that, the rangers will have a hard time preventing people from stealing the wood and sell it on the black market where will fetch a lot of money so, the usable wood will endup being stolen and no one will talk about it.
To me, the tree deserves better than that, what a way to give the tree the respect it deserves, by letting it rot where it fell...! seriously...?
Does the park, that area need some additional compost to enrich the already rich soils? no...! is it of any help to the remaining huge trees..? no...! so, why not to give that tree some of the respect it deserves and make the decision to allow timber experts to make a salvaging plan, make it available to suitable buyers and use the hundreds of thousands of dollars made on the sales to create a small monument where the tree once lived and use part of the money to teach kids and adults what these trees are about and allowing these persons to plant young trees in areas where there are none or very few, why not...?
Governments are capable of doing some amazing and sometimes crazy things about preserving/salvaging/protecting some "significant trees", doesn't this tree (remainings) deserve the same or better consideration?
Is like idolising someone/something/pet, etc..! and then when it dies, is just left there to rot where it fell..? what do you call of that..?
I'm sorry but, I can not nor I could ever agree with let the tree rot there, that would totally contradict what I am and what I think and admire about trees (all sorts), would make what I have been doing all these years a joke and a waste of time and that wouldn't be right.
Cheers
George