 "Photo: Photo courtesy of Josh McElhaney")
There are several historic American sycamore trees directly in the proposed path of a temporary road extension, from John H. Herrick Drive to Neil Avenue, to support Project One efforts for the expansion of our cancer hospital and medical center campus. The American sycamore tree directly behind Tzagournis Medical Research Facility is a prominent figure in the stark landscape surrounding the hospitals and research buildings and is in immediate danger from this proposed plan.
The lone sycamore appears directly behind a historical marker which signifies its importance in location to a former site within the Underground Railroad. It is a tree my colleagues and I see from our offices, as well as on our daily walk to and from work. Its exfoliated bark makes this tree unique in addition to its towering stature. Its ability to serve as a miraculous shade tree should be preserved and enjoyed for generations to come. I've found myself mesmerized by this tree and am saddened that these trees are to be destroyed to make way for a temporary road. Especially when there are other obvious direct paths that a new road could take, that would spare these trees, with much less impact on university land and research buildings.
With a diameter of roughly 4.775 feet, this American Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) is estimated to be 200 years old or older. In fact, aerial photography of the campus in 1904 clearly shows the presence of mature sycamore trees along the former stream that once went through the South Oval and Mirror Lake.
This tree was here long before Ohio State University was established in 1870, and has possibly been here since the signing of the U.S. Constitution in 1787 as seen on a plaque near Hopkins hall commemorating another historically significant American Sycamore.
The Ohio State University has taken many strides to promote recycling on campus in addition to reusing materials during the Thompson Library renovation and new Student Union. Why can they not spare these miraculous trees in future expansion projects to better the University community? After all, we were founded as a land-grant university specializing in Ohio agriculture. It is our responsibility to be caretakers and preserve these historic roots to our university.
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40 comments
I agree with whatever someone said about "temporary landscaping" before - it seems the focus is on these crappy, over-maintained areas of tiny trees and pretty flowers, when they're pathetic when compared to a few giant, decades-old trees.Speaking of which, how much does it cost in time and money to replace the plants several times a year in the planters around the stadium and in the median on woodruff by St. John? They put bulbs in, let them bloom for 2 weeks, rip them all out, then repeat. Seems like a huge waste.