Campus Life

Replacement World War I Memorial Trees Planted

Texas A&M University is planting more trees, including 25 that will replace some planted 88 years ago to honor former students who died in World War I.
By Keith Randall, Texas A&M Marketing & Communications February 28, 2008

Century Tree
The Century Tree

(Texas A&M Architecture)

Texas A&M University has more than 10,000 trees scattered throughout its 5,200-acre campus and is planting more, including 25 that will replace some planted 88 years ago to honor former students who died in World War I.

The 25, all live oaks, will be placed around the perimeter of Simpson Drill Field, the massive green area in the heart of the campus where the Corps of Cadets has held parades and other ceremonial events for decades. The 25 live oaks will numerically restore the living monument honoring the memory of the 53 Aggies who lost their lives in service to their country during WWI.

“Some of those trees have died and others are in bad shape and they need replacing,” notes Texas A&M urban forester Koby Weatherford.

Never missing an opportunity to branch out and make the grounds more attractive, Texas A&M physical plant personnel will plant a total of 150 trees over the next several weeks, Weatherford says.

Other planting locations will include areas around the Academic Building, the golf course, the President’s residence, the Corps of Cadets dorm area, All Faiths Chapel, the Bush Library and other sites, Weatherford adds.

The trees, most of them about five inches in diameter, will include numerous varieties, such as pecan, live oak, Texas ash, Mexican sycamore, bur oak, cedar elm, bald cypress, Monterey oak, Chinese pistache and others, Weatherford says.

“These types are not only attractive, but most of them are fairly low-maintenance,” he notes.

Weatherford says his office catalogs every tree on campus – its type, location, when it was planted and other information. “With over 10,000 trees, there’s a lot to catalog,” he confirms.

The tree-planting project should be completed by spring break, Weatherford adds.

Media contact: Keith Randall, Texas A&M News & Information Services.

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