This Copper beech tree (Fagus sylvatica) was planted by Premier John Oliver in 1921 in memory of the provincial government librarian, E.O.S. Scholefield. Copper beech trees can grow up to 40 metres (131 feet) tall and have a lifespan that can range between 150 to 300 years. It stands tall on the back lawns of the Parliament Buildings near the Legislative Library.
Bulldozers were about to uproot the tree in 1970 when two members of the Press Gallery intervened. Journalist James Nesbitt guarded the tree until Bruce McKelvie brought the Minister of Public Works to halt the work.
The Copper beech tree is over a century old thanks to the work of James Nesbitt and Bruce McKelvie.