1. What is it? The 65-foot Observation Tree Tower at Cox Arboretum is built from a giant Douglass fir tree.
46-foot Tree Tower a must-see stop at Cox Arboretum #theta360 - Spherical Image - RICOH THETA
2. That view! The top observation deck offers visitors a sweeping view of the park and the Miami Valley.
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Credit: JIM WITMER
Credit: JIM WITMER
3. Get your steps in. There are 81 wooden steps to reach the top above a nearby conifer tree collection.
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4. Crowd funding. Funding for construction of the Tree Tower was provided by more than 400 donors through the efforts of The James M. Cox, Jr. Arboretum Foundation membership.
Credit: Chris Stewart
Credit: Chris Stewart
5. Repair efforts. Five Rivers MetroParks will spend as much as $390,465 to repair a tree tower and observation deck that closed in September, 2016 after being damaged by fungal disease.
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