Spring Break
Texas A&M gives back with Replant Day
By: Ann Littmann
Issue date: 10/13/09 Section: News
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"Replant Day is a one-day environmental service project which strives to improve the Bryan-College Station community, bring students together through tradition and provide an avenue for environmental service and action through a yearly tree planting event," said junior biology major Catherine Taylor, Replant Day Director. "We continue every year to beautify both A&M's campus as well as the surrounding community."
This year about 300 trees, types including Bald Cypress, Live and Burr Oak and Crepe Myrtle, will be planted; 115 are from Replant's Riverside Campus tree farm.
"I'm participating in Replant Day because I feel that not only is it a great opportunity to beautify the city, it is also a way for the students at Texas A&M to show the Bryan-College Station community that we appreciate how they support us throughout our college careers," said junior geography major
Melissa Brauks.
This year marks the first time for Brauks to participate in the project. She said the Geography Society and the Geosciences Student Association will be teaming up together on Saturday.
"I am excited to have a large group of us going out to represent the College of Geosciences," she said.
Replant Day originated in 1990 when the chairman of the Environmental Issues Committeetee Scott Hantman sought for a way to offset the environmental effects of Bonfire. The first Replant day resulted in a couple hundred small trees being planted in the spring of 1991 by 40 volunteers, including many Bonfire representatives.
Texas A&M Tradition's Council recognized Replant Day as an Aggie tradition the following fall. Replant Day continued to be a spring event until 1999 following the discovery that the survival rate of trees planted in the fall is about 90 percent.
The Replant committee educates the community, aside from the one-day service project. The education branch of the committee seeks to enlighten the community about the significance of trees.
"The education committee plans all of [Replant's] retreats, socials, educational power points, training and trips to surrounding elementary schools to teach about trees," Taylor said. "This semester they are also planning a time for teaching homeowners the proper way to plant their trees."
Replant Day is funded through an allocation from the Student Government Association supplemented by private donations and fundraisers by the Replant committee. Typically, the Replant committee has a silent auction over Parents' Weekend; however, they were unable to host the auction this year. In past years, baskets filled with donated items from businesses, including Ben Knox, restaurants and James Avery, were sold.
Replant advisor Kathryn Sturtevant said Replant had auctioned off seedlings from the Century Tree's acorns until the organization was able to get a tree farm. Sturtevant added that acorns will be collected in spring 2010 for sale in
coming years.
1 Dig a hole double the size of the root ball and the same height. Save the soil you dig out to fill the hole.
2 Remove the cover from the root ball and place it in the center of the hole. Spread the exposed roots out.
3 Fill the hole with the dirt previously removed. Gently pack the soil using water to settle the water around the root ball.
4 After the tree is planted, cover the area with mulch staying 1 or 2 inches away from the trunk to reduce weed competition.
5 Week one, water daily with about a pint of water. Week two, water every other day with about a quart of water. Week three, water every third day with two quarts of water. Week four and beyond water once a week if needed.
City of Bryan named 'Tree City USA'
Bryan is one of the 3,310 communities named a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation, USDA Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters. Requirements for becoming a Tree City USA community are the following:
Tree board or department to be responsible for the care and management of the community's trees
Tree care ordinance provides guidance for planting, maintaining and removing trees from streets, parks and other public places
Community Forestry Program with an annual budget of at least $2 per capita
Arbor Day observance and proclamation
www.arborday.org
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