Over the past few weeks, the Office of Facilities has been taking down diseased trees from locations across campus with the assistance of an outside tree removal service. The removals are necessary for safety and to prevent the spread of disease to healthy trees—as well as to allow for the planting of new trees in their place—a project that will continue into the coming weeks.
The three most noticeable locations where work has taken place to date include the removal of Austrian pines in the area of Alumni Circle, ash trees that filled in the islands in S-Lot, and both Austrian pines and ashes near Circle Apartments 120, 130, and 150. The ash trees have been killed off by the effects of the emerald ash borer and the Austrian pines have been dying off due to a fungal disease called diplodia tip blight. Tip blight is an issue that has been affecting the campus in recent years, as it is most commonly found in Austrian pines over 30 years old.
As a result of the need to remove trees from near Alumni Circle this year, a plan was developed to install a new, accessible walkway in this area that will connect the Visitor Lot to the Peggy Ryan Williams Center. Along with this walkway, significant improvements in drainage will be made, as well as substantial amounts of hardscaping and landscaping. Centennial Garden and Turtle Pond will also receive improvements, so that the entire area becomes a more inviting and attractive entrance to the campus. This initiative was among those noted in a May 3 Intercom story about campus projects that would be taking place over this summer.
Along with the Alumni Circle improvement project that will be moving forward over the coming weeks, new trees and shrubs will be planted in the areas where tree removals have taken place when weather conditions are more conducive to doing so. Summer is not a recommended time for substantial plantings because of the stress that is placed upon the trees and the amount of water that is needed to ensure they survive.
Anyone who has questions about these projects may contact Ernie McClatchie, Executive Director of Maintenance, Grounds, and Transportation, at 607-274-3225.