The con-tree-versial decision to cut down a Japanese cherry blossom tree on Union Lawn to clear the way for Ori’ 2025 was made in December by OUSA management. But it wasn’t without a fight.
OUSA Secretary Donna Jones ran a tree-saving quest in the lead up to its ultimate demise on Thursday, December 5. “In my personal opinion, I think it’s sad that trees are taken down when it takes 70-80 years to grow,” Donna told Critic Te Ārohi.
Donna’s noble crusade against the slaying of the tree saw numerous passive aggressive emails in OUSA’s staff morning notices; good-natured (but direct) jabs at the Events team during Orientation meetings, enthusiastically pointing out students who would park up beneath its shade (“I hang out under the trees sometime and now there’s less shade,” one student Julianna worried); and a photoshoot hugging its trunk. All to no avail.
Donna watched from the balcony of the OUSA main offices as Property Services cut down the tree. The following day, OUSA staff received an email from Donna titled ‘May We Remember’. Attached was a poem by Joyce Kilmer titled ‘Trees’ – containing the opening line: “I think that I shall never see/ A poem lovely as a tree” – and a picture of a metre tall (DIY) cross she’d placed in its honour.
“I put my artistic flair to work [...] making, painting, and signwriting the cross,” Donna told Critic Te Ārohi on the day. “I have to say that the people of the University grounds have been exceptionally kind by looking after the area for me.” This was proven as Critic watched workers carefully raking dirt around the cross (cuties).
Judging by the rings on the branch kept in her office, Critic guesstimates the tree would’ve been about 65-70 years old, meaning it may have been entitled to a Gold Card had it been alive today. Donna cheekily gifted branches of the deceased cherry blossom to OUSA’s CEO Debbie and Events Manager Jason who were behind its assassination.
Debbie explained to Critic that the tree had ultimately needed to go to make way for bigger acts on campus. This was in order to reach the Ori’ numbers they’d had when events were held at the Forsyth Barr Stadium, rather than Union Lawn. “But because of the space that we’ve got to use, a tree needed to be removed to be able to fit a big stage in,” she said, noting its continued value for future big acts such as the “one in three weeks” (Six60).
OUSA intends on planting a replacement tree, or three, sometime in the near future to compensate for the scourge of the debacle – a promise Donna will be sure to hold them to.