After learning about the removal of two mature trees on the site of the new residence hall, many students have become deeply rooted in finding a way to save them.

Maclaine Sorden, graduate student in landscape architecture, and Jenna Kurtz, senior in journalism and mass communication, created a Facebook page called “savethetrees” as a way to inform students and alumni about the removal of the trees.

The 192-year-old hackberry and 171-year-old black walnut, which currently reside in the green space next to Buchanan Hall, are scheduled to be removed before construction for the new residence hall begins on May 11.

Kurtz also began a petition on change.org, which quickly gained more than 3,000 signatures and continues to grow daily. The petition states, “The university needs to include a part of Iowa State’s history with the growth instead of just cutting it down and taking away part of history that was here before campus ever was.”

The removal of the trees has especially gained the attention of landscape architecture students and alumni worried about losing the beauty and educational values when the trees get chopped down.

“It’s a huge question that’s been raised in the entire groups that’s been working with us,” Kurtz said. “It’s two trees now, but where does it stop? Where is the line drawn and what is acceptable to cut down and what’s not?”

Sorden believes the trees could potentially be saved if the design of the new residence hall was slightly altered. He said with the plans the way they are now, the building’s courtyard, which is located on the north side of the site, would only be pleasurable for students to use in the summer, therefore making it impractical.

“The Hackberry is about 25 feet off Gray Avenue and when overlaying the proposal to the existing conditions, we found that the sidewalk is what is going to occupy the space where the hackberry now stands,” Sorden said.

Sorden said the black walnut’s location is in the way of a corner of the new residence hall’s U-shape.

“Both are coined as champion trees on campus and we have one of the most beautiful campuses across the nation,” Sorden said. “The university is treating this site as a clean slate.”

After learning this, Sodren wrote a letter to President Steven Leath, urging him to immediately delay the construction and meet with a group of concerned students.

In Leath’s response letter, which was posted to the “savethetrees” facebook page, he said, “Ideally, we would not have to remove the trees, but we could not find a viable alternative to meet the needs of our growing student body and their demand for on-campus housing, which has increased 55 percent over the past decade.”

According to Leath’s letter, 12 other trees on the location have already been dug up and relocated. In addition to this, he said the university plants a variety of trees each year, including 677 that were planted last year alone.

“They’re planting all these new trees, but young trees don’t always have the same value as older ones,” Kurtz said. “It’s going to take another 200 years for a tree to get that same look that the campus has now.”

Kurtz and Sorden both agree the site is favorable for a new residence hall, but believe the use of space is inefficient and could be changed.

In his letter, Leath said, “We had three firms look at ways to designing the building to meet our needs and minimize impacts to the site and all three designs impacted these trees.”

Despite the university’s plans to continue with the trees’ removal, both Sorden and Kurtz said they remain optimistic.

“I would say I’m optimistic, but maybe more optimistic about coming up with a plan to guide the university through future structures,” Kurtz said.

Both Sorden and Kurtz plan to meet with Leath about taking action for future building plans and finding a way for student voices to be heard.

In the meantime, students in Iowa State’s Environmental Science Club have decided to celebrate the trees by hosting an event as part of EcoWeek. Students are invited to gather beneath the trees, located near Buchanan Hall, for frisbee and outdoor activities at 8 p.m. April 20.

“We just want to enjoy the trees while they’re there,” said Hannah Hoglund, senior in environmental science and vice president of the Environmental Science Club. “I mean, I hope they won’t get chopped down, but we at least want to enjoy them now. We’re just trying to bring people over there and know about the trees.”

To sign the petition, click here.

To find out more about the “save the trees” facebook page, click here.