Tree removal sparks debate among faculty, students

11/24/09 - Once in abundance on the University of Rhode Island's Kingston campus, trees have become more sparse.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.

The next step is the removal of all the Norway Maple trees along the long walkway that stretches from the URI Robert L. Carother's Library to the URI Memorial Union. This historic pathway, the Dieter Hammerschlag mall, was named after Hammerschlag, an associate professor of urban design who taught at URI prior to his death in the 1970s.

"The administration said the roots are starting to make the pavement bumpy and uneven," Professor Simeoni said. "But why not repave the strip instead of cutting down all those trees?"

He said the trees around campus should be increasing in abundance, not declining. Because trees are being cut down and can longer be identified, Simeoni said students are losing out on their education, especially students enrolled in plant identification courses.

"The bottom line is removing trees can be a good thing if they are hazardous," Simeoni said. However, Simeoni is concerned as to when and if URI is planning on replanting the removed trees.