Following the collapse of Front Square’s famous Oregon Maple tree, which saw students, staff and alumni to express their sentiments of mourning online, Trinity will move to commemorate it.
The stump of the tree, which was over 170 years old when it fell, will be open for visitors to view.
In an email to staff and students, John Parnell, who is Chair of the Grounds and Gardens Advisory Committee, explained that College will be in no rush to replant trees in Library Square. Instead, they will spend time planning for the square’s next 150 years, which, he said, would take over a year.
There will be information accompanying the stump for visitors. “We eventually hope to be able to remove and preserve a slice or section of the stump; the remaining piece(s) will then be ground out”, Parnell said in the email.
The stump will be cleaned and sanded so the rings of the tree can be counted, while the , which stands opposite the tree that fell, will be examined to ensure its structural integrity to prevent any damage to people or buildings around.
College will also take the opportunity to conduct an archaeological investigation of Front Square and Library Square, using Lidar, a type of laser technology often used for surveying that works in a similar way to radar and sonar.
The famous tree in Front Square came crashing down in the early hours of the morning after high winds at the beginning of the month. Trinity made the announcement on Twitter saying “generations will miss this magnificent tree”.
The College had taken actions in the past in an attempt to stabilise the College’s Oregon Maples, using cables to help it survive the increased wind speed created by Trinity’s buildings.
The Oregon Maples are not the only trees on campus that have gotten into trouble in recent years. Last year, a tree at Lincoln Place gate fell victim to disease and had to be removed, while famous cherry trees that line the cricket pitch are being phased out over a period of a few years and will be replaced by lime trees as they are at the end of their lives.
