Group seeks to save 27 large pine trees on UAFS campus

story by Aric Mitchell
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In 2009 the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith boasted its status as a Tree Campus as recognized by the Arbor Day Foundation. But with the upcoming Boreham Library extension, many are questioning whether this status is deserved.

The 40,000-square-foot library extension requires the bulldozing of 27 grand loblolly pines that have been on the campus more than 50 years. Construction on the new library extension is slated for early April. The trees will likely be removed in early to mid-March.

The unconfirmed story behind the trees is that Dr. Hattie May Butterfield, a music teacher, planted the trees in the late 1950s to attempt to visually separate the academic and technical programs offered by what was then a small community college.

UAFS Chancellor Paul Beran confirmed that the trees would be removed to make way for the extension.

“They (the trees) reach a maturation level and are probably just a few years from dying anyway. We investigated and we are going to expand that way,” Beran explained during a recent interview. “Unfortunately, there is no practical place for them with the extension of the library. If we did leave the trees the building construction would kill them anyway since they’re about 10 years from reaching their life expectancy.”

SAVE THE PINES
However, one source disagrees, stating that the trees could enjoy a lifespan of 120 years if left alone. The source requested to remain anonymous due to status within the university.

Speaking on behalf of “Save the Library Pines,” the source noted: “We believe it is unconscionable that UAFS developed a plan that included the destruction of 50 years of its history and 50 plus years of its future. For an educational institution to brazenly disregard lessons learned from the environmental movement is unfathomable. It is the position of Save the Library Pines that UAFS should never have conceived of such a plan. To do so truly reflects a wanton flaunting of all the achievements of the past 50 years at the college.”

Since Jan. 14, the Facebook group has won support from 50 members on the popular social networking site. The source blames university secrecy for the fact that number isn’t larger. As a result, the group recently started a petition and is using a Facebook app with the goal of collecting 1,000 signatures to prevent the destruction of the trees. As of Feb. 7, 309 supporters have signed. Most of the supporters are from outside the U.S.

Arkansan Mori Delver, supporter 230 on the petition, noted: “That campus is supposed to be an arboretum, but ever since they called it that trees have been coming down faster than a lumberjack camp! Either live up to your designation, UAFS, or admit you only care about trees when it is convenient. Please spread the word about this petition so those of us who live here won’t have to watch all the trees on campus go.”

‘VALUE SYSTEM’
For Beran, however, the school is more committed to higher learning.

“We can get into all these conversations about how long they’re going to last but the bottom line is trees are renewable resources. With the health science center where we built the parking lot, people have been very satisfied with how we maintained the integrity of the land. Since I’ve been here we’ve had a 23 to 25 percent increase in the number of students; 67% of our student body is now full time.”

Continuing, Beran noted: “While I would love to save the natural things in any way possible I’m not going to sacrifice the opportunity of educating people for trees. It is a value system. We’re doing the best we can do with the amount of land that we have. We’re not turning the campus into a parking lot. We are continuing to plant trees and take care of the campus with environmental concerns in mind, but we must also maximize the number of students we serve.”

‘SHORT SIGHTED’
Save the Pines disagrees with Beran’s assessment that there is nowhere else to build and believes the trees are being sacrificed for economics long before their natural lifespan has been completed.

“To make a plan that squeezes an addition onto a building that is already in a cramped place that will only contain the library for 15-20 years before it is outgrown and will result in devastation for these trees is, to say the least, quite short sighted,” the source said.

Beran said the assessment that the Boreham Library extension will only be good for 15-20 years is in itself short-sighted. Addressing criticisms of the addition’s viability, Beran said, “I seriously doubt it will be outgrown in that length of time. Anyone who can say that is looking into a crystal ball that I certainly don’t have access to. All we can do is what the institution can afford at this time.”

He notes that with online and electronic sources becoming more commonplace, the facility could serve students of UAFS for a much longer time period.

“We’re not talking about just tacking on 40,000 square feet to the current building. We’re talking about a fully renovated and integrated project that will result in an up-to-date facility of 70,000 square feet,” Beran said.

“People are passionate about things they believe in,” Beran continued. “I understand concerns and why people would be upset. I’m not apathetic with that. If there was a way we could, we would, but realistically and practically, that’s not what we can do. We currently have a library, and the new library extension will create a dynamic corner of campus as well as do something very positive and affordable for the institution, so we don’t have to build a 70,000-80,000 square-foot library from scratch.”