Students from Wuhan University and Ohio State volunteer to plant trees on campus, and in the community
According to an old Chinese proverb, “The best time to plant a fruit tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” That sums up the intent behind an upcoming tree-planting initiative in Marion, Ohio.
A group of 22 goodwill student ambassadors from Wuhan University in the People’s Republic of China will visit Ohio State Marion and Marion’s Sawyer Ludwig Park on Tuesday, July 21st to assist in planting 36 fruit and ornamental trees for the people of Marion and the campus community.
The tree planting and cultural exchange is part of the Wuhan To Ohio Summer Program, supported and organized by The Ohio Center for Cultural Exchange (OCCE), a non-profit organization that was established in 2009 and 2010 in order to promote cultural exchange between the USA and China and focuses on teaching leadership and sustainability in local communities.
The trees being planted are 20th Century Asian pear and a variety of apple trees, such as McIntosh, Lodi, Royal Gala, Red Winesap, Pink Lady, Red Delicious, and Yellow Delicious. The trees on campus will be planted just south of the Library Classroom Building, near the Larry R. Yoder Prairie Nature Center and future home of Ohio State Marion’s Science & Engineering Building. The trees at Sawyer Ludwig Park will be planted in an open area on the parks northern border, near Bellefontaine Avenue.
OCCE donated $2,250 to cover the expense trees being planted, organized a group of volunteers to plant the trees, and planned a healthful lunch, to be served to the Ohio State Marion and Wuhan University students, faculty, and staff volunteers participating in the tree-planting activities.
The students from Wuhan University will arrive on the Marion campus at 10 a.m. and begin the process of planting 12 fruit and 8 ornamental trees by noon. The group will then share lunch with their Buckeye counterparts. They hope to depart campus and arrive at the park by 1:30 p.m. to plant an additional 16 fruit trees – the beginning of an “edible forest” envisioned by Marion Regional Planning’s Dan Stewart.
Marion’s west side, where Sawyer Ludwig Park is located, is an area of town considered to be a “food desert,” (an area where grocery stores and food outlets are few and far between, and those with transportation issues are challenged to gain convenient access to healthy foods).
In terms of ending hunger, Senior Lecturer in English at Ohio State Marion and Vice President of OCCE, Mike Lohre explained, “There is so much need out there. Trees are not a short term fix.”
For the visiting ambassadors from Wuhan University, this trip represents an opportunity to learn, explore a unique culture, and give back. For the Ohio State student volunteers and the community, it is a building block for educating people in the ways of sustainable farming, botany, and a litany of other worthwhile food science production practices.
According to Lohre, few of the Chinese students have had a chance to plant a tree, as their focus is classroom education. “This will be an experience for them.” For those who will provide continued nurturing for the trees, a lot of work and proper care is in their future.
“Part of our goal is to make this a learning experience on campus,” said Lohre.
Lohre sees the tree planting as only a small step in the bigger picture, referencing the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, who turned their whole grass campus into a food system. Their campus became a learning center for the local region.
“It can be a humbling experience to try and properly care for a tree, especially organically,” he said. “That connection with nature is important. It won’t be easy, but it will be worthwhile.”
“We will only learn and be connected to nature if we involve ourselves in our local ecosystem, trees, plants, and animals,” he added.
The Ohio State University and Wuhan University are sister universities, both occupying roughly the “Midwest” area of the respective countries, with both schools having over 45,000 students, a graduate program, and a very good reputation as top research and learning universities.