16. The Ténéré Tree, Niger

What image is more evocative than a lone tree, standing by itself in the middle of a desert where nothing else lives for miles away? The Ténéré Tree was considered sacred, a monument of resilience, the last tree alive in a place that had once held more of its kind when the environment was more agreeable.

Unfortunately, as often happens, this one was lost due to human stupidity when a drunk driver rammed into it in 1973. The remains of the dead tree were removed and carried to the Niger National Museum in Niamey, and a metal sculpture was erected in place as a memorial.