Kyle Keckler
News Editor
The campus at Idaho State University is currently undergoing a period of noticeable change and renovation. From the G-1 parking lot expansion to the utility tunnel overhaul, which currently dominates the lower campus, much is being done to improve the infrastructure around the university. But beyond the asphalt and sidewalks, great effort is also being put into our campus greenery.
Perceptive students may have noticed new trees appearing on the quad and atop the new landscaping being developed in front of South Complex, specifically Owen-Redfield and Nichols Hall. These new trees are part of the ongoing effort by the university Grounds team to beautify our campus and replace greenery that may have been lost in recent reconstruction projects.
The Bengal spoke with Chris Wagner, the Director of Maintenance and Operations at Idaho State University, to better understand the thought process behind these improvements and give our readers an insight into the effort put into our campus forestry.
Two main threats menace our campus forestry– age and pests. The grounds team must work year-round to mitigate and address these issues. As Wagner outlined, the Grounds team considers species to mitigate the threat of pests to our campus greenery: “We really try to diversify our campus forestry, and not mono-crop, or plant a limited amount of trees. We obviously look for trees that are suited for this climate as well as pest-resistant. But, even pest-resistant trees can be susceptible to disease and pest blight. So we really try to diversify our campus forestry, so if we have a pest that comes, it doesn’t wipe out an entire species of trees. So, diversity is really important when we’re planting trees on campus.”
As for the difficulties regarding the age of the trees, care is taken to plant new trees where some may be reaching the later years of their lifecycle: “A lot of species of trees, for instance, Siberian Elm, they don’t have a long lifespan. So we’re really trying to plant trees in areas where we know we have mature trees that will be reaching their mature lifespan in the near future… and to establish young trees in those areas so that we’re replacing those old trees with newer trees before they reach the end of their lifespan.” Because of this strategy, younger trees will grow around where older trees will need to be taken down, ensuring that our campus maintains its campus forestry.
In regard to where these new trees are planned to be planted, Wagner had this to say: “We’ll continue planting trees along 5th Avenue, Carter Street, within the Quad itself; with the tunnel project around the Engineering & Physical Science Building, we did have to remove some trees for that project and will be planting trees there this fall and into the spring to rejuvenate areas affected by the tunnel project…” with more being planned around the upper campus as well: “ We are also looking at planting trees along Bonneville Road and around Holt Arena, where we recently lost a few to pests.”
Further trees are due to be incorporated into the ongoing G-1 Parking lot renovations outside of the Pond Student Union Building as well. Concerning the project, Wagner says: “The construction portion is wrapping up, and we will be defining the landscape installation as much as we can this fall, and that will continue into the springtime. We will be installing artificial turf [in] the island areas, and real trees will be planted along with that. We have 105 trees slated to go into the parking lot project.”
The trees that tower over campus now were planted with their current heyday in mind, and just the same, the trees that the grounds team plant on campus now will someday take their place. The trees that we may take for granted on campus are the culmination of a continual effort to preserve campus beautification and ensure that Idaho State looks its best. Wagner, concluding, had this to say: “Each year, we look into projects around campus– and planting trees is a big part of that.”
For more information regarding the Grounds team’s plans for campus landscaping, the overall campus master plan is currently available online at www.isu-campusmasterplan.webflow.io.
