After a fallen tree damaged Pitzer College’s Broad Hall last month, the college removed two large Italian Stone trees from its campus on Feb. 1 and 2, promising to replace them with native trees. The decision sparked both understanding and dismay as students mourned the loss of a beloved gathering spot.
Mark Crawbuck, senior director of facilities, said that the Italian stone trees have top-heavy foliage and shallow root systems, making them a safety concern during times of high wind. He added that the trees are not native to California and cannot withstand such weather conditions.
In an email to TSL, Crawbuck reiterated these safety concerns, especially since some students were walking around campus when the tree fell around 6 p.m.
“I cannot live with somebody getting hurt by trees,” Crawbuck said. “We came together as a community. I went to the sustainability committee and other groups on campus, and with the recommendation of the arborist, it’s really important that we take these trees now.”
According to Crawbuck, past fallen trees have been chopped into logs, with some repurposed as mulch or benches and others used in community projects. He is working with campus groups like the Outback restoration class to do something similar now.
“I’m retaining as much as possible,” Crawbuck said in an interview with TSL. “We will turn them into student projects and so we’re trying to reclaim all the wood we can to reuse on campus.”
In place of the Italian Stone trees, Crawbuck said that Pitzer’s Department of Facilities and Sustainability Committee aims to plant native trees that match the majority of native fauna on the college’s campus.
Students had mixed reactions to the tree fall and to the subsequent steps taken by the college to cut down other trees. Student Kayla Gerayli PZ ’27 witnessed the initial fall on Jan. 20 while walking around the Pitzer mounds after dinner.
“The bottom of it just snapped,” Gerayli said. “It was really loud and it kind of just fell over and hit the building.”
Gerayli noted that the situation upset many students, as the trees hold sentimental value for some of them. However, she said that safety should be the priority.
“It’s not the end of the world,” Gerayli said. “You can get a new tree and put your slackline back. I would rather have healthy, better and native trees.”
The slackline, a staple leisurely activity on Pitzer’s campus, was attached to two removed trees. Many students can recall using the slackline and relaxing in the communal space. Some said that they were sad about losing it.
“I met some of my really good friends at the Pitzer slackline, and I feel like it’s a space where many different types of people can come together and have beautiful connections,” Elizabeth Zbaraschuk SC ’28 said.
Despite some negative reactions to the trees being chopped down, students have expressed understanding for the safety of others and the campus buildings.
“I’ve received nothing but support from our students, faculty, community members and staff. It’s really been very supportive,” Crawbuck said. “It’s a safety thing, so I think everybody’s really understanding what is going on here today.”