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For immediate release, July 18, 2008
A group of more than twenty concerned faculty, staff, alumni, and students met with President Elson Floyd today to discuss their opposition to the planned removal of old trees in the Avery Grove to the north of Avery Hall as part of the Library Road Project. The group presented Dr. Floyd with a petition signed by approximately 750 faculty, staff, students, alums, and parents. The group also called attention to a Facebook group of 1600 members from the WSU community who are dedicated to the preservation of the trees. Both those present and the signatories expressed dismay at the destruction of mature trees and at the apparent gulf between the conservation policies practiced by Capital Planning and Development and those shared by faculty, staff, and past and present students. Virginia Hyde, a professor emerita of English, noted that in the late 1960s the English Department voted to design Avery Hall, their new home, around existing stands of trees, and regretted that current planners are not pursuing the same goals in their designs.
Patrick Siler, professor emeritus in Fine Arts, stated that he found the disregard for existing trees apparent in current projects "disgusting." Other participants commented on the extent of the tree removals now being carried out campus-wide, and expressed shock at the readiness of planners to cut old-growth trees rather than incorporate them into new designs. Michael Hanly, professor of English, contended that the WSU community has been surprised by the scale of tree removals in this project because of Capital Planning's inadequate publicity. He also described the inestimable aesthetic and historical value of the Avery Grove to the Department of English and to generations of WSU students. Liz Siler, ESL specialist in English, asked about ADA elements of the design; Capital Planning representatives admitted that enhanced ADA access is a collateral outcome rather than a central justification of the project, and that the site is actually ADA-compliant already.
The group formally requested that the final phase of the Library Road Project be re-designed to accomplish as many of its stated goals as possible while preserving the trees. President Floyd stated that he would weigh all issues surrounding the Avery Grove before making a final decision. He also stated that, given contract issues, it may be too late for corrective action. The group noted that the re-design they envision would entail less earth-moving and potentially lower costs, and volunteered to investigate ways to redesign the project so as to save both the trees and money. Floyd withheld comment on this offer during the meeting.
The group left the meeting awaiting further information from Floyd on the final disposition of the trees. In a follow-up email to the group, the president made the following statement: "Over the next several weeks, we will have a rendering of the site outside of Avery Hall as contemplated under the current construction plan for your review and inspection. I am pleased to inform you that the removal of the trees is being held in abeyance until this review is completed." Members of the tree preservation group intend to continue raising awareness of the danger to trees in the Avery Grove and elsewhere on the WSU campus while awaiting Dr. Floyd's conclusions.
For further information contact friendsofwsutrees@yahoo.com or www.savewsutrees.com
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