| Photograph from the Tower-1926 |
Ewing photo
|
| |
| Photograph from the Tower-1999 |
Zietz photo |
|
|
Save the Oaks campaign
LSU’s landscaping was called a “botanical joy” in its
listing among the 20 best campuses in America in Thomas Gaines’ The
Campus as a Work of Art. One of the most prominent features of LSU’s
landscaping is the more than 1,000 live oaks, which are valued at approximately
$36 million. The five-member LSU arboretum crew works around the seasons
to lovingly prune, fertilize, mulch, and spray the oaks, as well as care
for the 24 other tree species found on campus. The trees are a treasure
and a source of pride to the LSU campus and the Baton Rouge community.
The trees are continually exposed to campus traffic, both pedestrian
and vehicular, which puts stress on them, causing soil compaction and
a lack of oxygen and moisture to the roots. To prevent further deterioration
and help curb the cost of properly maintaining the trees, LSU students
volunteer to participate in the annual “Save
the Oaks” campaign by collecting donations from fans and supporters
before an LSU home football game. The money is deposited with the LSU
Foundation to be used for the “Endow an Oak” Campaign, which
works to preserve and protect the oak trees by providing the necessary
resources, such as mulch and fertilizer, to keep the LSU oaks in healthy
condition.
Students, alumni, and friends of LSU who wish to endow an oak can contact
the LSU Foundation for
more information.
Last updated April 2002
|
