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Friday, February 5, 2016
Indiana’s Oldest College Newspaper
vol. 164, issue 25
Reforestation on East College lawn replaces diseased trees, leads to troubles BY GEORGIA GREEN news@thedepauw.com
After being infected by Emerald Ash Borer, a destructive and invasive beetle, a number of trees on East College lawn were cut down. To replace those that were felled, new trees were planted nearby.
SAM CARAVANA / THE DEPAUW
Disease and old age – two common killers. Not just for humans, but for trees as well. Over Winter Term, DePauw Facilities Management instituted a reforestation project on East College Lawn in which ash trees were removed and replaced due to their old age and susceptibility to the disease Emerald Ash Borer. Rob Harper, assistant director of facilities management, explained the fatal effects of Emerald Ash Borer on ash trees. “Emerald Ash Borer cuts off all of the nutrient circulation to the tree branches and leaves, so it suffocates the tree,” said Harper. “It doesn’t allow any water or nutrients to move up or down the tree, so it essentially just chokes it off.” Emerald Ash Borer has only been a recent concern. It is a slow disease that showed up in the county about two years ago, and signs of it on campus were apparent just this past year. Prior to the reforestation of East College Law, there were about 120 ash trees on campus. With an abundant number still present, reforestation plans are currently in effect for the entire campus. “Once the weather breaks a little, we’re going to evaluate all the ash trees on campus and really determine which ones are worth saving and which ones we might as well take care of,” said Harper. These plans will most likely be in effect this summer while students are away from campus and will probably carry over into next fall. Because Emerald Ash Borer keeps ash trees from acquiring an adequate amount of water and nutrients for their survival, they internally decay and create potential dangers for students on campus. Even without Emerald Ash Borer, an ash tree is very brittle, but the disease enhances its fragility by drying it out. Limbs fall and break frequently, and with a campus like DePauw where students walk almost everywhere, this poses an extreme safety hazard. According to Harper, there has been no ethical backlash for the reforestation. “That was one thing we wanted to make sure we’re explaining why we’re doing it, instead of just
seeming like we’re going cutting trees down.” Throughout the reforestation process, photos were taken in which the majority of the trees were revealed to have significant decay on their insides. Harper explained, “It was the right thing to do, based on what we saw.” Overall, the project was a success, and the planting of the new trees was strategically designed for better views of East College and the Academic Quad, even when the trees grow and their canopies expand. Now, there is more tree variety as well. Facilities Management planted oaks, maples, hickories and some other hardwoods in order to diversify the look of campus. A little bit of mess remains on East College lawn due to the machines used for the project, and students have noticed. First-year Jonah Jerrils finds the lawn’s damages to be distracting from the new trees, but he understands that it was for a good cause. “They destroyed the lawn,” said Jerrils, “but it’s good that they’re replacing the diseased trees.” Harper assured that once the weather is nicer, Facilities Management will take care of the damaged lawn. “It’s always a kind of mission of ours to get campus looking the best it can for commencement,” said Harper. There is even use for the removed ash trees. In a sustainability project, the wood from the old trees was made into benches. First-year Senator Hanna Wade is currently working on legislation to allow these benches to be placed around campus. “The benches are ready to go and finished,” said Wade, “and I’ll be really glad to see when that project gets up and rolling.”