More than 40 members of the Franklin & Marshall community gathered in Stutzman Memorial Garden April 24 to celebrate the College’s 12th annual Arbor Day tree planting.

The primary focus of the tailor-made spring morning was the planting of three trees native to the region, two Redbuds and a Hawthorn. Redbuds are small, compact trees featuring vibrant pink flowers. The Hawthorn blooms in white and has small, red fruit. It is known as an ideal habitat tree, featuring protective thorns and thickets that attract nesting birds.

Coincidentally, Lancaster Mayor Jaime Arroyo announced at the April 11 inauguration ceremony for F&M President Andrew Rich that Arroyo and the city intend to plant a tree in honor of Rich this spring in Buchanan Park, which borders the F&M campus at its southern end.

The species of that tree? A Hawthorn.

“It struck me as symbolic, reinforcing the connection between the city and the College at a time when F&M is seeking to further strengthen its engagement with its community partners and the residents of Lancaster,” said Nic Auwaerter, director for the Center for the Sustainable Environment.

Those who attended the tree-planting event heard from Auwaerter and a handful of students and professional staff who shared why nurturing and building the College’s arboretum matters not just ecologically, but culturally and historically.

Sara Smith ’28, a student employee with the Center for the Sustainable Environment, read a poem by Adreinne Rich, “What Kinds of Times are These,” a 17-line piece that explores the theme of social unrest and the importance of unity in challenging times.

Resident historian Justin Herbert ’09, Senior Director of Prospect Research & Portfolio Management, provided a historic overview of the canopy of campus. In juxtaposition to the three newest additions to the college’s arboretum, he pointed out that the oldest tree on campus was planted in 1857 — a Silver Linden outside Keiper Hall on Manning Alumni Green.  

The event, held in the garden nestled between the Barshinger Life Sciences and Philosophy Building and the Center for the Sustainable Environment, was organized by Auwaerter and the College’s Campus Tree Advisory Committee: Professor of Chemistry Scott Van Arman; Shaun Nikhil Sahaya Xaviour Ananth ’29; Museum Coordinator Lois Miklas; Associate Director for Special Projects, Editorial, and Operations Diane Gegg; and Associate Vice President for Facilities Management and Campus Planning Mike Wetzel.