Landscaping and Education Should Compliment Each Other On Campus

Behind Haynes Hall and the Plant Growth Center on the west side of campus flows a stream that is beginning to be lined with trees. In late 2022, the university horticulturists began planting native Montana trees along this river in order of climate appearance. The order of trees is supposed to mimic when trees appear on a mountain due to elevation, beginning at the tree line and ending in the valley. This project takes both landscaping and education into account and is creating a learning opportunity that also brings diversity to the university landscape — and it’s a model that should spread across campus.

For a long time, the area behind the Plant Growth Center and Haynes has been barren, yet currently the first crop of subalpine firs has been introduced into the landscape. Horticulture classes have already begun incorporating these small trees into the course curriculum.

This project has had a swift impact on the department as both students and teachers have been given the opportunity to observe a variety of interesting academic topics. Outside the classroom this project will introduce several species of trees onto campus that may be protected in the future against incoming insects, such as the emerald ash borer. This is an insect that targets green ash trees and is capable of wiping out the majority of them in Bozeman. The threat of emerald ash borer should not be underestimated because the larger Bozeman area and university campus still hold a high percentage of green ash in their canopy. The introduction of different tree species is a great way to future-proof the beauty and health of our campus.

Another outcome of this project is that it gives students in horticulture something familiar to grow with and observe. It will likely become an area students in the department will frequent because they will develop a deep understanding of the place.

This could become a space for more permanent artwork — a place outside the galleries and hallways for students to exhibit more of their creative intelligence. In this case, the art itself would directly influence the beauty and diversity of the campus. Architectural design on campus should meld education and aesthetic. As each building begins to look similar because they each follow the same modernist, chromatic coloration, it is important to attempt to include more beauty on campus.

In a place full of thriving academic and artistic minds, it would be a shame for the buildings to not grow with the students. There should always be an effort to make students want to come to campus. Natural, educational beauty is key to making that happen.