The campus community may have noticed tree maintenance work along their routes through campus last week. Tree work is carried out year-round and is performed based on “ongoing” and “immediate need,” according to Ashley Gebb, interim chief of staff to the Office of the President.
Gebb explained that it’s difficult to pin down when tree work will occur due to several factors. These factors include “… safety concerns, weather conditions, the complexity of the job, and the time needed for setup and cleanup.”
“We prioritize campus safety and tree health, particularly in high-traffic areas or where a potential risk is identified,” Gebb said. “Our crews work hard to ensure there is minimal disruption to campus during the work … it’s more challenging when they have to restrict access or use louder equipment.”
The upcoming planned areas of work are:
- Along Big Chico Creek
- Trinity Hall
- Shurmer Gym
- Alumni Glen
- Langdon Engineering Center
- Nettleton Stadium
- Orange Street lot
- Aymer J. Hamilton
- Facility Management and Services yard and surroundings
Gebb said that the university hopes to have much of the tree work done by the end of the month.
Chico State’s campus was dedicated as an arboretum in 1982, and contains over 2,700 trees of more than 200 different species as of 2022.
On the south side of Laxson Auditorium a willowleaf peppermint gum tree was planted to memorialize the recognition as an arboretum, according to an article by Chico State Today.
Every three years the university performs a tree survey which catalogues each tree. The next survey is expected to be finished in the coming months, said Randy Southall, associate vice president of facilities and capital projects.
For years the university was honored by the Arbor Day Foundation with a Tree Campus Higher Education recognition. However, the university hasn’t submitted to be considered for the recognition in the past few years, according to Jillian Leach, admin analyst for Facilities Management and Services.
Despite this, the university still moves forward with many of the tree initiatives that it did before.
Leach explained that the university plants three trees for every one it cuts down.
Last year the university planted even more, Leach said they cut down approximately 5 trees that were diseased or a hazard, and planted 19 trees.
The Campus Vegetation and Arboretum Committee maintains a list of approved and banned plants for campus.
With over 200 species of trees, taking a different path through campus may bring some new perspectives throughout the fall season.
Chris Hutton can be reached at [email protected] or [email protected]
