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New shades of green By Melissa Rake Crimson king Norway maples. Prairiefire crabapples. London planetrees. Majesty sugar maples. These are among the newest members of campus' stately standing timber. Ohio University's Department of Grounds is in the midst of a tree replacement project that has added more than 400 trees across campus. The effort involves replacing dying, damaged trees with new, more diverse varieties. "We always try to save a tree before cutting it down," says Director of Grounds, Recycling and Refuse Mark Whitney. "It's a heart-wrenching decision every time we decide to remove one, but we must consider safety." Ohio University's trees are as traditional as the campus' quaint brick sidewalks. In fact, the University's self-guided tree tour, mapped out in a brochure available at the Visitors Center, is popular among sightseers. Campus' most mature trees are nearing a century old, including a ginkgo along the Hocking River south of the Visitors Center, a sycamore at the southeast corner of Cutler Hall and an ash on the College Green west of Memorial Auditorium. The American holly is one of the most common trees on campus, and more unique varieties include the silver fur and bald cypress. Staff members are carefully considering the types of trees they're planting. For example, David elms have been chosen to replace American elms because they are less susceptible to Dutch elm disease, and London planetrees will replace sycamores because of their greater durability. "We plant trees for posterity," Whitney says. "Most of us won't be around when these new trees reach full maturity, but we want future generations to enjoy them."