Planting trees...

Wed. Oct. 22 was Sustainability Day at Emory. Emory as Place, with wonderful planning by Jess, planted several trees in the ravine next to Cox Hall. Despite two volunteers being sick and unable to attend, and one sick volunteer being present (that would be me), we dug in our heels and shovels, planting two beautiful oak trees in the ravine between Cox Hall, Callaway, and the Anthrophology building.

The ravine has been there since before Emory moved to its Atlanta campus, and was a factor in where the quad of Emory's Atlanta campus should be located. The original architect, Henry Hornbostel, choose an Italian Renaissance style of architecture for the University because he believed the rolling hills of the Georgia Piedmont region reminded him of Italy. The Quadrangle was chosen to be placed between two ravines, one now named Baker Woodlands and the other now in front of Cox Hall. Hornbostel wanted Emory to be a "University on a hill" and since the land was already at one of the highest points in Atlanta (along a ridge), he furthered that image by placing the heart of the campus on a hill between two ravines.
The Cox Hall ravine has seen various impacts through the years, the sides of the ravine have soil erosion that we are trying to keep back with mulch and new plantings. There are sewer pipes and the university's cooling steam system pipes. The stream suffers from soil and pollution runoff.

So Emory as Place decided to plant a couple trees, to help prevent erosion (the tree roots will help keep the soil on the banks and bring rain into the soil) and to add more tree canopy to Emory. Emory as a "no net-loss of canopy" commitment. For every tree that is cut down or removed on campus, another tree will be planted on campus, in our woodlands areas, or trees will be added to our tree bank where we can fund nearby areas to increase their tree canopies to offset our loss. Needless to say trees are a vital part of our everyday lives, maintaining the ecosystem, helping to clean the air and keep down temperatures, and as homes for our lovely Southeast wildlife.

We had a great time shoveling, planting, and mulching. I couldn't have been happier to be playing in the dirt! And now every time I walk past the ravine, I see our tree, growing away. I hope when I return to Emory years from now, the tree I helped to plant will be large, healthy, and beautifully nurturing its environment.

--kate