Replanting hope and greenness
Arbor Day at Richland
May 4, 2023
A dozen maple trees from the Richland Tree Farm were planted on campus to celebrate a very special Arbor Day on April 29. Although this is an annual event, this year was even more meaningful than usual, since the new trees replaced ones that were cut down last year due to the emerald ash borer beetle infestation that has been affecting North Texas for years.
“So, unfortunately, those trees came down, but we are replanting. And we are replanting from our tree farm, which is on the west side of our campus,” said Dr. Kathryn Eggleston, president of Richland Campus.
According to Janet James, dean, executive assistant to the president, the new 12-year-old trees are replacing some of the 18 trees removed.
“We can only put 12 back because those trees were so mature that they had really deep root systems. So, in order to get all the roots out, it would have torn up the parking lot in the curb and the sidewalk, parts of the parking lot. And they are planting 12, so they don’t have to do that kind of deep excavation,” James said. Mike Sills, Texas A&M Forest Service, who was one of the speakers at the event, said that the replacement trees are different species that cannot be affected by this emerald ash borer pest.
The ceremony started with the speakers and then, all the attendees including faculty, community members, and the Green Club from Richland Campus.
Green Club member L.J. Brown who was there to help to plant the trees in Parking Lot W. He heard about the event in his environ
mental class. Although Brown is not pursuing a degree on environmental science, he said that he enjoys contributing to the nature and community.
Richland Campus has a partnership with the Texas Trees Foundation, which is a non-profit organization that donated originally the trees to the Richland Tree Farm. “The trees are made possible through our partnership agreement with the Texas Tree Foundation who maintains and manages a tree farm on our campus”, James said.
“They are planting trees in public places like K-12 schools, all across of the community to green our community,” Eggleston said, adding, “To help to create a more healthy community.”
