New Arbors for Tulsa Campus

 

A half-million homes and businesses lost power in Tulsa, Ok. when an ice storm ravaged the city on Sunday Dec. 9, 2007. The icy conditions lead to the deaths of 13 drivers. Fire crews were kept busy putting out some 50 structural fires, while crews worked to remove tree limbs and other obstructions from streets and driveways.

Freezing rain moved into Northeast Oklahoma Dec. 9-10, 2007. The area is still recovering from the damage done.

The ice storm damage on the Oklahoma State University-Tulsa campus was most evident along John Hope Franklin Boulevard, the main campus road. About 100 campus trees suffered enough trauma that it was necessary to remove them.

Alaback Design Associates, Inc. of Tulsa completed a campus site assessment and Dan Alaback has come up with a plan to replace the landscaping. The OSU-Tulsa Board of Trustees has approved the plan, which is budgeted at $150,000 and expected to start in the spring.

Mike Peters, RLA, of Alaback Design, relates the plan will add more evergreen trees to the campus and, generally, trees tough enough to withstand another ice storm. New tree varieties have also been selected for diversity, but also for their resistant to disease. Tree selected include Alle lacebark elms, Shumard and overcup oaks, loblolly pines, Nellie Stevens hollies, black gums and red sunset maple. The trees will be planted in groupings as you would find in nature.