Linking tradition and technology, the Maryland Commission for Celebration 2000 (Maryland 2000) is cloning one of our nation’s symbols of freedom – the Liberty Tree on St. John’s College campus in Annapolis, MD.

The 400-year-old tulip poplar is the nation’s only surviving Liberty Tree, a gathering spot where colonists met and plotted the revolution from the British. Once found throughout the colonies, all of the other Liberty Trees have died or been destroyed. The Maryland tree is 96-feet-tall with a span of 60 feet.

"Under this tree, information was shared, resolutions made, and the seeds of revolution sewn," said Governor Parris N. Glendening." This tree is more than just a symbol – its pattern of growth is one that we, as a nation, must follow. When I present my fellow governors with a miniature Liberty Tree in the coming months, I will remind them that as diverse as our state’s are, we must go further to ensure equality for all our citizens" he added.

A bio-tech research team from the University of Maryland’s Plant Sciences Department, with help from Maryland 2000 Chair and State Comptroller William Donald Schaefer, retrieved genetic material from the branches of the tree to begin the six-month process. Using classical plant propagation techniques including the rooting of cuttings and the decontamination of plant tissue from fungi and bacteria, clones will be provided to the governors of the 12 other original colonies.

"Cloning is the only way to maintain the genetic integrity of this tree," said research team leader, Dr. Gary Coleman. "I’m hopeful that through this bio-tech approach we will be successful in producing genetic copies of the Liberty Tree for each of our nation’s 50 states," he added.

Maryland’s Liberty Tree has a unique history. The Sons of Liberty began meeting underneath its branches in 1765 to hear patriot-orators and determine whether people who had not joined the association of patriots should be driven out of the colony. In addition, the tree was the site of the first Methodist sermon in Maryland (1772) and served as the setting for General Lafayette’s review of soldiers at a ceremony honoring him (1824).

The tree has survived a bolt of lightning, an explosion of gunpowder within its trunk, plus the whims of wind and weather during four centuries. In 1907, a large cavity was filled with several tons of concrete to reinforce the tree.

In addition to cloning, Maryland 2000 announced the Liberty Tree’s selection as its June "Treasure of the Month." The Maryland 2000 program, Save Maryland’s Treasures, asks Marylanders to nominate historic sites, structures, artifacts, and documents that citizens consider endangered. Every month, an advisory committee from Preservation Maryland, the Maryland Historical Trust, the State Archives, the Maryland Historical Society, the Maryland Coalition for History and Culture, and the Maryland Association of History Museums selects one historic resource as the "Treasure of the Month" out of nominations received from the public. Save Maryland’s Treasures will provide grant funds to help preserve a selection of these endangered resources for future generations. Funding for Save Maryland’s Treasures is provided by Preservation Maryland, Maryland’s oldest statewide non-proft preservation organization, and the Maryland Historical Trust.

In addition to the historic preservation program, Maryland 2000 is planning activities in the arts, education, the environment, human services, and philanthropy. Created by executive order in 1997, The Maryland Commission for Celebration 2000 will showcase the uniqueness of the state, its rich cultural heritage, the contributions made by its people, and to help prepare citizens for the future.