An assessment of 130 campus trees conducted by Adam Moore with the Alamosa District of the Colorado State Forest Service recommends Adams State begin a program of tree removal/replacement and pruning to mitigate the danger posed by unhealthy trees, according to Scott Travis, director of Facilities Services.
Therefore, six at-risk trees located between McDaniel Hall and the Music Building will be taken down over the upcoming holiday break, between Dec. 25 and Jan. 3. The work will be conducted by Adams State Facilities Services staff.
The Forest Service report noted these trees exhibit such defects as "large cracks, areas of decay, dead and broken limbs, live crown ratio, amount of epicormic shoots, and mushrooms on the bark or cavities." Such defects make the tree unstable and could pose a safety hazard, Travis added.
Adams State also consulted with City of Alamosa Tree Board chair Dr. Marilyn Loser, who is an Adams State Emeritus Professor of Mathematics/Computer Science. She gave recommendations on a tree replacement program, including the need for tree diversity and suitable species for the Alamosa environment.
The university is
pursuing grants to support its tree replacement program and working to become
part of Tree Campus USA, a program of the Arbor Day Foundation that helps
colleges and universities sustain healthy community forests.
