Legacy Oaks Q&A

Q. When will the trees be removed and planted?
A. The 15 pin oaks will be removed between May 18 and June 3. The new white oaks will be planted over the summer, depending on weather and other factors. All the trees will be planted at the same time, so they grow at relatively the same rate.

Q. Why are you removing the pin oaks?
A. The pin oaks are unhealthy. Some have succumbed to diseases common in pin oaks. Others are reaching the end of their natural lifespan of 70 to 90 years. Pin oaks do not fare well in an urban environment, and we began to see further decline when we irrigated Francis Quadrangle.

Q. Why did you choose to replace the pin oaks with white oaks?
A. The white oaks have the longest lifespan of the oaks and do well in the environmental conditions of the Quad. The Quad will feature five different species: Quercus bicolor (Swamp White), Quercus lyrata (Overcup), Quercus macrocarpa (Bur), Quercus x ‘Jillan Anne Young’ and Quercus x schuetti (Schuette’s).

Q. Who helped choose the white oaks to replace the pin oaks?
A. MU Landscape Services Pete Millier, Blair Crosby, Jenna Sommer and Charles Paxton (retired); MU Forestry Professor Hank Stelzer and Professor Emeritus Chris Starbuck; Forrest-Keeling Nursery owners and CAFNR alumni Wayne Lovelace and Kim Lovelace-Hainsfurther; and Bill Ruppert, Mizzou Botanic Garden board member, CAFNR alumni and owner of the St. Louis office of National Nursery Products.

Q. What will happen to the wood when you remove the trees?
A. Once the trees are removed, we will determine if any part is salvageable. At that time, we’ll determine what can be done with the wood.

Q. Why will it take so long to plant the new trees?
A. The university will perform some utility projects on the Quad once the trees are removed. The Legacy Oaks will be planted as this work is completed.

Q. How can I donate to support the Legacy Oaks?
A. The Legacy Oaks project is supported by the generosity of donors invested in the beautification of our campus. If you’d like to support the Legacy Oaks of the Francis Quadrangle, please visit Mizzou Give Direct.