Tree removal sparks debate among faculty, students
Jessica Boisclair
Issue date: 11/24/09 Section: News
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The cutting down of trees around campus has been a common occurrence for about five years but has been becoming more frequent.
According to URI Associate Professor of Plant Pathology ,Larry Englander, without the trees many buildings now appear as bare slabs of concrete.
Englander said that URI is an arboretum, where a vast variety of woody plants are grown for scientific, educational and ornamental purposes. He said that many of the rich plant and tree specimens were provided by the Rhode Island ornamental plant industry.
However, Professor Angelo Simeoni, a URI professor of landscape architecture, said that the only trees requiring removal are those that are rotting or causing a hazard.
Despite various complaints, rotted trees on URI's Lower College road remain standing. Approximately half a dozen of these trees have damaged cars when their large limbs have fallen.
The 40 to 50 year-old healthy Atlas Cedar tree, located in front of Chafee, was cut down last week because of concern that it may have been damaging the building. However, Englander said that no apparent damage was present and the tree had been there as long as the building.
Both students and professors have expressed frustration toward the removal of these trees. A facebook group, titled "Save URI trees" was created by URI students and signs have also been posted on specimen trees by anonymous people, reading, "I am a specimen tree" or "I am the last of my kind, do not cut me down."
Another sign was posted on a stump outside Woodward saying, " Who was I hurting? Stop the needless cutting of beautiful healthy trees."
"We come across beautiful trees, specimen trees, that set off a building and make it attractive, but all of a sudden the chain saws are going and they are removed," Englander said.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Anonymous
posted 11/24/09 @ 10:48 AM EST
Since these professors seem to have a significant amount of spare time on their hands to write about such a topic, they should take some of this time and pay a visit to the University Archives and look at pictures of the University from the early 1900's. (Continued…)
Wendy Ravello
posted 11/24/09 @ 7:45 PM EST
I am a student of the University of Rhode,I attend the Providence campus on occasion I do go to the Kingstown campus and have always enjoyed looking at all the beautiful trees i do think it is a shame that the trees are being removed, i thought that it was always a good idea to have trees around so if the tress are not dying then they should be left alone
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