The campus staple Friendship Oak, which has stood on campus since 1925, will be receiving new renovations. The area around the tree will be transformed into a new green space called Friendship Grove.
Friendship Grove is designed to honor the tree’s legacy and encourage new plant growth. Assistant director of landscape and ground Carlos Doolittle discusses the new additions, including a berm which is a ridge made up of compacted soil that aids in drainage.
“The post-and-chain boundary is to be expanded to the curb on the north side of Friendship Oak. This will give space for a low berm to be added. Three clones of Friendship Oak are to be planted on this berm, giving them better drainage than the rest of the site. Two more clones will be planted at the existing grade. These five young clones of Friendship Oak are to grow up along the north side of the original tree,” Doolittle said.
These new additions are part of the larger restoration project that began in 2016 and increased in Fall 2022. The project is focused on ensuring the long-term health of Friendship Oak, since the tree has shown visible signs of aging in recent years. Students and faculty on campus have taken notice of these changes.
“I have watched Friendship Oak age and decline since I first arrived at Southeastern, so I believe encouraging new growth with rooted cuttings from the original Oak would further preserve its memory and presence,” said biological sciences grad student Amber Peterson, whose own grad work involves ecology and restoration. “This has the potential to invite more birds, insects, small mammals and more to our campus, which makes it a more welcoming environment for wildlife. It will also benefit Southeastern’s student and faculty community by increasing our green space in the area, which is said to positively impact mental health.”
One of the primary concerns with Friendship Oak was the roots absorbing too much water and the foot traffic in the area. Efforts were made by Doolittle and consulting arborist Malcolm Guidry to begin addressing both issues.
They used tools such as the AirSpade, which uses pressurized air to remove soil from the trenches being dug, converting the trenches into French drains filled with new soil. The sidewalk area around the tree was moved to prevent foot traffic and to allow the tree’s laterals to grow. The efforts to improve Friendship Oak impressed students like Peterson.
“Through my five years at Southeastern, plans to preserve Friendship Oak have always been somewhat in limbo, as it is difficult to preserve a site that is centuries old. Friendship Grove is a new and creative way to encourage new growth while maintaining the history of the area. I look forward to entering my final year of graduate school here and watching these improvements being made. I will certainly have to visit again once the new seedlings have matured,” Peterson said.
The legacy of Friendship Oak on SLU’s campus holds value for many former students and faculty. As part of the campus Centennial, informational plaques will be added to the area to showcase the tree’s history and impact. SLU President William Wainwright shared his thoughts on the development of the campus landmark.
“As we celebrate Southeastern’s Centennial, we now look forward to our next century of impact. While we continue to honor and cherish the legacy of Friendship Oak with our continued rehabilitation efforts, the successful cloning of cuttings of our beloved oak now provides an opportunity for us to further the legacy of Friendship Oak by establishing Friendship Grove,” Wainwright said.
