Written by Will Lewis

VSU Landscaping and Grounds plans to replace the two trees that formerly stood in front of West Hall.

The two trees were mortally damaged earlier last month after framing the university building for over 20 years.

“They were split right down the middle,” Brett Ganas, assistant director of landscape and grounds, said.

The split developed as a result of both trees lacking a central leader. According to the North Carolina State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, “A central leader tree is characterized by one main, upright trunk, referred to as the leader.”

The lack of a central leader was not a problem until, as the trees grew, they slowly began to pull themselves apart at an “acute angle.”

“Our intention at first was to save them,” Ganas said. The University bound the trees with straps in the hope that they would mend and could continue to grow.

After consulting with arborists Duane Cunningham, of Cunningham Tree Service, and Mark McCellan the decision was made to cut down the trees and replace them with saplings with central leaders.

The trees are expected to be replaced by May of this year during the planting of over 90 trees around campus.

VSU Landscape and Grounds plans to plant 73 dogwood and redbud trees as well as 20 longleaf pines.

Ten of these trees have already been planted on North Campus next to Pound Hall. The rest are expected to be distributed among the longleaf pine forest already in place behind Langdale Hall, and along the creek in between Lowndes Hall and the Fine Arts building.

The sapling planting, a joint effort between the biology department and the department of landscape and grounds, is scheduled to continue on throughout the year.