Photo by Mark DiOrio
With more than 3,500 individual trees and 130 species, Colgate’s lush tree canopy provides an undeniably stunning backdrop for study, work, and play.
But when plant life is regarded as just part of the scenery — not something to learn about and engage with — it could point to a condition with serious implications for the future of our ecosystem.
“Plant blindness is an actual phenomenon,” says Professor of Biology Eddie Watkins of the term coined by botanists James H. Wandersee and Elizabeth E. Schussler in 1998. When plants are seen as static or even purely decorative, Watkins explains, people are less likely to care about preserving them, despite their critical importance for air quality, food sources, and animal habitats.
“Most of my career has been dedicated to helping people see plants from multiple perspectives — beyond their mere presence to who they are and what they do,” he says.
Students in Watkins’ Field Ecology (BIOL 328) course joined in that effort last fall. With help from Oneida Nation botanist Sheri Beglen and Professor of Biology Emeritus Ron Hoham, students were tasked with developing a field guide, signage, and a website dedicated to the University’s diverse tree canopy, examining plant morphology and physiology and incorporating information about Native American traditions and medicinal uses. The project was supported by the President’s Office and funded through a grant from the Upstate Institute.
The result of their semester-long endeavor: the Campus Tree Guide, a 69-page handbook with extensive information on every species from American Basswood to Sweet Gum, and an accompanying map, which guides visitors through the campus’ plant landscape, much like Hoham’s popular reunion tree walks.
“[The goal] was to share the traditional wisdom of the Oneida while honoring the two most important people who have shaped our tree canopy: President Brian Casey and Professor Hoham,” says Watkins, adding that President Casey’s emphasis on tree health and sustainability as part of the Third-Century Plan has added hundreds of trees from dozens of species to campus and “helped create a botanical Shangri-la for anyone interested in plants.”
As the work on the Tree Guide progressed, Watkins encouraged students to submit Colgate’s application for national certification from The Arbor Day Foundation. They did — and later received news that the University was recognized as a 2024 Tree Campus “for its dedication to enhancing community well-being through tree education, investment, and engagement.”
At an end-of-term celebration, students unveiled the Tree Guide to community members — and reflected on their months of hard work.
“What surprised [students] most was their ability to pull off something this complex, this big, this public, in a single semester,” says Watkins, noting that students have expressed how work on the project helped them appreciate plant life on a deeper level. “You really can’t miss plants on this campus anymore.”