Students participated in a tree planting event to celebrate “Clean Air Day” on Oct. 5 thanks to a partnership between Fresno State and Tree Fresno.
Attendees planted approximately 65 crepe myrtle trees on Chestnut Avenue in the first of several phases Fresno State and Tree Fresno have planned to beautify the campus. Organizers hope that these events and the trees planted will promote cleaner air and a greener campus.
“We’re going to continue [planting trees] down Chestnut towards Bullard,” said Mona Cummings, CEO of Tree Fresno. “[Eventually,] there will be a final planting, and we’re excited to be working with the city of Fresno on a potential planting on Willow [Street].”
Cummings was present at the event to help over 140 volunteers check in and hand out tools and reflective vests.
Also present was Mike Mosinski, the senior special projects manager for Facilities Management at Fresno State.
“The next phase would then go from the midway point up to Bullard Avenue and plant another 60 or so trees there, and then on Willow Avenue to the east of us,” Mosinski said.”
Mosinski explained that while carbon capture and beautification were important factors that were considered, the amount of shade that they would provide to pedestrians and drivers was also important.
“We haven’t chosen the species of tree [yet], but it would definitely be like a larger type of tree that has better carbon capture and a larger canopy,” Mosinski said. “That’s in the planning stages. Primarily, that row of trees would be positioned on the trail [by Willow Avenue] where anybody using that trail would have shade the whole distance of the trail, at least from Barstow to Escalon.”
Earlier this year, work being done on the Central Utility Plant Replacement (CUPR) project led to at least 260 trees being impacted by the construction. Mosinski explained that the trees that were removed by the construction will be replaced and said there are also plans to bring new species of trees to the campus.
“Part of the contract agreement requires that any trees that are removed would be replaced on campus at a two to one ratio,” Mosinski said. “We may plant a tree that grows better in the eastern U.S., Canada or Asia, so we try to find a microclimate that the tree could survive in. The minimum we want is 100 specific varieties of trees.”
Plans for the replacement of trees affected by the construction are not expected to start until a year from now, according to estimates from Mosinski. Plans could be delayed further depending on the status of the Central Utility Plant Replacement project construction.
Natalie Hedden, a senior majoring in natural science biology, talked about some of the concerns she and other students have regarding the removal of trees due to the CUPR construction.
“The main goal is to just get sustainability integrated into campus as much as we can,” Hedden said. “I’ve seen plans regarding replacing the trees with more eco-friendly landscaping, which could affect our water usage.”
In total, around 205 trees are slated to be planted within the next year and a half. Students interested in participating in future tree planting events can learn more about volunteering opportunities through Tree Fresno’s website.
