Students and staff at Augustana College celebrated Earth Day last week by planting trees around the campus in Rock Island.
Grounds Manager Josh Becker says the 14 new trees replace 30 damaged by last summer's derecho, and another 20 killed by the Emerald Ash Borer. One of the new trees is a cherry, planted Friday on the front lawn of the Denkmann Building, along 7th Avenue.
"Right now it's be about two to three inches in diameter and it'll be a nice flowering tree for us. It'll grow to not quite the height of the building over the years but it'll be a good specimen for the front of this building, with some color."
The varieties of new trees include pine, beech, and black gum.
Becker says some of the funding for the new trees comes from the Student Government Association.
"The students have been real helpful, they're eager, and they're willing to put that shovel in the ground and get a little dirty. And just pushed Augustana further into the future with the sustainability of the college."
Along with the students, the tree planting project is a joint initiative with Augustana staff and the college's Sustainability Task Force.