By Noor Ibrahim

Earlier this week, our lands were struck by a storm like never before. At first, I did not realize how severe and powerful the winds were. However, when I saw the damage in person, I was shaken.

So first and foremost, let us take a moment of silence to remember the fallen trees…
Trees are one of the most powerful living beings. We often hear about them surviving landslides, floods, and more. But, in this situation, our beloved companions have faced more than what meets the eye until their last moments.

To learn further about the trees, I contacted one of the horticulture instructors, Dave Palm, and asked him a few questions about this matter. First, how old were the trees? Second, why did he think the trees were unable to withstand the strong winds? (According to some weather sources, the peak speed of the wind was between 60 and 69 mph.)

Finally, what would happen to the fallen trees? Was it possible to revive them?
Professor Palm provided me with very insightful information about the changes and the different environmental factors that the trees had to face:

“In regards to the age of the tree, I can only take a guess at approximately 75-100 years old. There is a theory that the drought weakened the root system of the trees that caused them to uproot, but when we received 4” of rain on Oct. 25 and then another 1 1/2” on Sunday night, that saturated the soils which allowed for the uprooting. I have seen that happen before when I lived in Wisconsin. The trees will be cut up for disposal. A tree that size would be nearly impossible to re-establish its roots.”

So now, why am I writing about trees that were uprooted as a result of a fierce storm? The reason is, it is very important to learn to appreciate and remember the elements around us. We must not take things for granted. I have seen few students sit beneath these trees to enjoy a cool breeze.