May in Lincoln , Nebraska, means the trees are green, and the winds are strong. When Union College (now Union Adventist University) was founded in 1891, the original survey told of a few cottonwood saplings and a hedge of locust bushes. Now some of those locusts are among the oldest trees in Lincoln, and our cottonwoods are so tall you can barely see the clock tower through the leaves in summer. But sadly, Nebraska’s wind does not slow down for the elderly. Over the last several years, Union has lost several trees to violent wind storms, including two cedars ripped out by the roots. However, the campus has added even more new trees thanks to generous donations from alumni and the State of Nebraska.
In the last four years, 31 trees have been planted on campus. Three were part of the gift of the Class of 2022, 20 were given by the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum as part of their “10 Free Trees” initiative over two years, four were purchased by the university, and four were given in memory of Carter Trumble, a 2024 graduate who passed away last summer.
The new trees include Kentucky coffee trees, pecans, sycamores, four species of oak, two species of maple and two new disease and cold-resistant elm cultivars. With the exception of the coffee trees, most of the species planted are favorite food sources for squirrels, ensuring a comfortable home for future generations of the campus’ treasured four-legged residents.
The university campus doubles as the Joshua C. Turner Arboretum, named for the grounds director from 1948-1969, and it is part of the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum. Last summer, Mark Ratzlaff, Union’s grounds assistant, and his student worker, Katelyn Page, paid homage to Turner’s legacy by conducting a survey of the trees on campus to add to the Nebraska Forest Service’s online inventory. Not including the College View Church, College View Academy and athletic fields, they mapped 455 trees representing 74 species. You can find the inventory online at https://pg-cloud.com/Nebraska/ then search for “Union College.”
“There’s a reason every university wants pictures of students studying under spreading branches in their brochures,” said Yami Bazan, university president. “Trees are a vital part of student life. They clean our air, quiet the city noise, and provide cooling shade. I’m so grateful to the alumni, Nebraska Forest Service and Union’s Plant Services staff who care for this beautiful arboretum we call our campus.”
