Mukta Pillai
Viewpoints Editor
On Friday, Sept. 18, The College of Wooster held a celebration for the new Abbey Arboretum as a part of Homecoming festivities. The event took place at 3 p.m. under clear skies on the east side of Scovel Hall and included a ribbon-cutting ceremony and tree planting. The College established the entire campus as the Abbey Arboretum last spring, with the gift from Paul Abbey ’73 and Connie Abbey.
The event began with an opening from Steve Crawford, assistant vice president of Alumni & Family Engagement. “It was just a year ago, on September 30th, we gathered just up the sidewalks in front of Kauke, to celebrate the painting of several Bblack Ttupelo trees in partnership with Paul Abbey. Little did we all know then, that just a year later, we would be back here to dedicate the entire Wooster campus as an officially recognized arboretum.”
The event continued with words from President Anne McCall, who spoke on the campus environment and its connection to students past, present and future. McCall described the campus as an “urban forest” due to the near-2,800 trees of 180 different species on campus. McCall also mentioned the tree conservation endowment and the Grace Tampos Endowed Tree Fund.
Phil Olson, arborist and manager of campus grounds, and Ed Moydell, president of Holden Arboretum, spoke next about the Abbeys’ commitment to tree conservation. Moydell discussed the importance of recognizing the entire campus as an arboretum, rather than limiting its purpose to a specific section of campus. He said the designation creates opportunities for the community to engage with the trees through research and art.
“It’s not just the biology department, but all departments can actually participate in the activities of an arboretum like this,” said Moydell.
The Abbey family’s connection to tree conservation extends beyond the College. Connie Abbey’s great-grandfather, Albert F. Holden, founded Holden Arboretum in Kirtland, Ohio. Paul Abbey founded Up With Trees, a nonprofit focused on restoring Northeast Ohio’s tree canopy and preserving the natural environment. Abbey also spoke about the future of the arboretum, connecting the community and students to Wooster’s environment.
The event concluded with a ribbon cutting and the planting of a white oak, marking the formal dedication of the Abbey Arboretum.
