The approximately 35 trees scheduled to be cut down to make way for a new, redesigned business school building and parking lot have caused concern among environmental activists on campus, and may change the process for future expansion planning at the UW.

Campus arborist Deborah Brown intends to send a letter to the UW administration and Campus Landscape Advisory Committee (CLAC) in response to the approved removal of the trees, which she believes could have been avoided.

“The water oak is not directly in the footprint of the proposed building, which suggests that there could have been a way to work around it with some creative design,” said Brown, referring to the healthy, rare-to-Seattle tree.

The plan, approved in January, will result in the removal of the water oak, a hickory tree and many other, mainly healthy trees.

Although these trees will unavoidably be cut down as long as the funding for the expansion comes through, Brown hopes to use this situation to draw attention to the UW’s planning process for future development.

“There will always be difficult decisions to make when it comes to increasing development on campus,” Brown said. “With some minor changes and a renewed commitment to tree preservation in the planning process, we can find acceptable compromises.”

Bill Talley, a campus landscape architect emeritus, explained that while he does not want to see these trees cut down, it is a sacrifice that must be made, and he noted there are plans to plant at least 50 new trees.

This plan also preserves the trees that line Stevens Way.

“It’s views like this that make you want to protect the edges,” Talley said in reference to the view toward Hutchinson Hall from the N-4 parking lot, as he admired the tree-lined road.

Julia Tracy, a research scientist in environmental health, suggested the project be immediately stopped and further research be conducted to find a way to work around the trees.

She also questioned the necessity of a new parking lot, urging students and faculty to consider walking or using mass transit.

Instead of cutting these trees down, she believes the UW should be trying to protect them due to their beauty, shade and contribution to reducing air pollution.

“Trees provide tangible, quantifiable benefits to the campus and surrounding community,” Tracy said. “If people understood that we humans wouldn’t be here at all if it weren’t for the atmosphere generously created by green plants eons ago, perhaps they would behave differently towards trees.”

Brown has been involved in a similar issue before, regarding a large elm next to the Playhouse Theater.

The trunk of the tree was less than a foot away from the building and since an expansion was necessary to the program, she agreed with the decision to remove the tree.

“The project manager and architect looked at every possible way of working around the tree, and it was found to be impossible to reconcile with building expansion,” Brown explained. “I don’t believe that the same level of diligence was used in the business school project.”

Brown is asking for a commitment from the UW administration and planning committees to design new buildings with the least possible tree loss and landscape damage.

She is also asking that the appraised value of trees lost be included in the project budget for replanting, and that trees be planted in equal number to those removed for construction projects.

Talley said the CLAC is trying to preserve the greenery on campus and pointed out that most of the new business school building will be constructed on land that is currently a parking lot.

“It wasn’t a happy moment when the committee voted to remove the trees,” Talley said. “But you have to look at how to best develop campus.”

Reach reporter Abby Walker at news@thedaily.washington.edu.