News 21 Nov 2006 12:16 pm
New trees planted in Quad
By Kim Sabshin
News Writer
Approximately a month after the October snowstorm, campus cleanup and restoration efforts are continuing to produce visible results. Last week, eleven new trees were planted in the Quad to replace the ones that were damaged by the storm and subsequently removed from the premises.
According to Kevin Kwitzer of the Department of Facilities Management at Canisius, the cleanup was a campus wide effort. While the College was not decimated to the degree that heavily forested areas nearby such as Forest Lawn Cemetery were, the storm still managed claimed a total of 29 trees on campus.
The new trees planted in Koessler Plaza behind Old Main were Cleveland pear trees. While most of the restorations will not be done until next year, these trees were replanted for a unique reason.
Kwitzer explained that the bricks in the ground near Koessler Plaza allow it to retain heat more readily than the ground in other parts of the campus. Since their roots stay warmer, the trees “think” that it is earlier in the year than it really is and hold onto their leaves for a longer amount of time. This is why these trees were able to be replaced so soon.
Although a sizable portion of the restoration process has been completed, the cleanup effort is far from over. Kwitzer noted that replanting everything within a short period of time would do far more harm than good; the trees would go into shock and most likely would not survive through the winter.
Also, the different planting seasons for different species of trees need to be considered. It is likely that full restoration of the Quad will not be possible until spring or summer of 2007, depending on what needs to be replaced.
Area nurseries are continuing to work with the College in order to pick out new trees and determine exactly what will be planted.
While the cost has not yet been completely determined, insurance adjusters will place values on the trees depending on their age and type. Older trees cost more than younger ones.
Regardless of the cost, however, there are other matters that need to be considered when the trees are replaced.
Even after all of the trees in the Quad are replaced, they can never look the same as or fully replace the ones that were destroyed.
“The history of trees can never be recreated in a lifetime; the trees are upwards of a hundred years old. All we can do is replant and hopefully someone can enjoy them when they are 60 feet tall,” Kwitzer said.
The replanting efforts did not go unnoticed on the campus. Freshman Eric Koehler echoed Kwitzer’s sentiments. “It was sad to see all of the fallen trees on campus and the devastation that the storm caused, but I think that the maintenance department did a great job cleaning up the aftermath of the October storm,” he said.