Student voices concern over lack of trees, communication

Since the beginning of conversation concerning the new convocation building, I vowed to make sure the large oak tree would not be cut down.

I bravely told friends and professors of daring attempts I was willing to make to save the tree. A few of my friends and I planned to climb up in the oak tree to save it. We saw people on TV do it, and we knew the hippies of the 60s and 70s did it, so we could easily pull off saving one tree, right?

Well, being a tree hugger isn’t as easy as you would expect. Sometimes you actually have to hug the tree. Let me explain. On the morning of July 27 I was sitting comfortably at Hopwood Christian Church when I was told that tree cutters were preparing to cut down my beloved oak tree to which I had pledged my protection.

As soon as possible, fellow tree hugger Mary Stephens and I headed to the tree. I wanted to get a ladder and climb up in the tree but couldn’t because half of the tree’s branches were already gone. Because we wanted to be somewhat rational but make a point, Mary and I decided to peacefully plant ourselves next to the tree, hoping our mere presence would save the tree. The workers immediately asked us what we were doing. Mary replied, “We’re just sitting here.” The worker asked us to leave, but we didn’t.

The older man who we presumed was the boss decided to try a scare tactic. He got in the huge machine with the really sharp blade and said he was cutting down the huge branch right above our heads. We just ignored him; we knew he wasn’t going to kill us just to cut down the tree. However, Mary and I realized we were stupid if we expected to do any good by just sitting at the tree. We knew that eventually the tree workers would call the cops. Since we didn’t really want to spend a night in jail and start our criminal records at such an early age, we made a plan. We knew we had to do the very thing we dreaded most - talk to President Don Jeanes.

Mary went to Jeanes’ office while I remained at the tree. I tried to make small talk with the younger workers. We continued talking until I heard Jeanes’ voice - then my blood ran cold with fear. Instead of immediately dismissing me from the college as I had expected, he explained to me why the tree was being cut down. He said the tree would die anyway if it remained while the new convocation center was built. The big oak was also directly over top of the water, sewer and gas lines which need to be brought up to code with Elizabethton regulations. In order to do so, the workers would have had to cut through the tree’s roots, thus irreparably damaging the tree. Also, since new lines would need to be laid for the new convocation building, the tree’s safety would be compromised during that process.

The design for the theatre just did not allow for the tree to stay. My heart bled sap at that moment and has again several moments since then. I would love to have been able to save the tree, but I know that wasn’t possible.

However, I feel that the communication factor was one which could’ve been better planned. Few people on Milligan’s campus were prepared for the chaos which began on that sunny morning in July. Faculty and staff were sent an email after the tree cutting process had begun. Students were never informed of the drastic landscape change until they arrived on campus and observed the changes for themselves.
While I felt, and still do feel, that a new convocation building will enhance students’ experience at Milligan, I hate that so many trees had to be sacrificed. During our conversation by the tree, Jeanes confessed he shared my feelings of regret and added that the decision to cut the tree down was made only the day before. He also added that the tree cutters weren’t expected to arrive on campus until later in the week.

Mrs. Jeanes concurred with her husband and me that the loss of such beautiful trees was a tragedy but also noted that she and her work-crew were planting twice as many trees as were being cut down.
Over the course of the next few days more than a dozen trees were cut down. I have to admit I did cry once or twice, and I’m sure I yelled a few inappropriate words at the tree workers (only when they couldn’t hear me, I think). However, deep down I knew that for Milligan to continue serving students, these changes had to take place. I trust that my days of active tree hugging duty are over, and I can retire to a life of reading short stories and solving algebraic equations.

The main outcome I hope to see is more communication. If premeditated decisions are made, it only seems logical that communication have a more active role than it currently does. I’m sure the trees would agree with me and are looking down on us as we walk to class wishing they could shade us with the bounty of their frondescence.