Wednesday, March 16, 2011

We Concede

While we concede that the Loblolly pines will be lost to the library expansion, we do not concede that it was necessary. 
These magnificent trees will be cut down mid-life in order to preserve a picture- a photo of a highly contrived campus green, with an abundance of space that is only ever used for- a picture. A photo of impotent gates that open to a vapid collection of ephemeral plants- all preserved for another kind of development-fundraising. 
Actions do reflect ones value system: in this case money and image are clearly of more value to the administration than tradition and conservation. Creating a centralized library as the gate to the campus green would have been an action truly consistent with a value-system appropriate to an institution of higher learning. 
Instead, fifty years of history, fifty years of life, fifty years of faithful service, fifty years of marshaling the aesthetical and ethical integrity of the campus, will all be cut down for- another picture. 
For this we weep.

Friday, January 21, 2011

These 50 year old trees were once described eloquently by a UAFS student:


Living loudly with silent thoughts, immovably stoic
Proud branches with fingers splayed
gracefully in suspense.
One of a kind never to be copied,
with roots growing deep into its mother known as Earth,
suckling its necessary essence from her.
Growing tall, reaching but never touching its father called Sun,
basking in his love of light and warmth.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Loblolly Set to be Cut Down

The fifty year old loblolly pines on the campus of the University of Arkansas Fort Smith (UAFS) are scheduled to be cut down when the Boreham Library is expanded.  These trees live to be 120 years old easily.  To cut these trees down long before their time will be a tragedy.

A Community Facebook page- Save Library Pines, is set up for others concerned with this cause to gather more information: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Save-the-Library-Pines/192572890753585.

There is also a Youtube page:  http://www.youtube.com/user/savepines.

Ironically, the campus was recently dedicated a "Tree Campus USA" by the Arbor Foundation.  The news bulletin announcing this has a picture on it taken in front of the very trees that will be cut down:  http://www.fs.fed.us/ucf/news/20100225_ua_treecampus.pdf. 

The UAFS news archive also has a story in which these very loblolly pines are bragged about because they are among the oldest in town: http://www.uafortsmith.edu/Arboretum/LoblollyPine.

According to this UAFS announcement ground breaking on the library is set to begin in April.  I do not know when the trees will be taken but it will be too soon regardless:  http://www.uafortsmith.edu/News/Index?skin&storyid=2923


I want to make sure as many people as possible are aware of this impending tragedy.  If you have not seen these trees lately, if you have not gone up to them and taken in their beauty lately, I urge you to do so before it is too late.