Silver City, NM – Western New Mexico University is removing three trees that pose safety hazards in a high-traffic area of campus but planting between 12 to 16 red leaf maple trees to replace them.

The elm trees between the Brancheau PE Complex and College Avenue are unstable, particularly in extreme weather, according to WNMU Assistant Vice President of Facilities and Operations Kevin Matthes. “They absolutely have to come down before winter hits,” he said. “When snow does fall here in the mountains of the Gila region, it’s often wet and heavy. I’ve seen large limbs collapse under snow’s weight and break off of these elms, and we are concerned about human safety if that happens again.”

A local contractor will begin disassembling the elm trees this week. Before a single branch is cut, local woodturner and WNMU employee Joseph Holguin will have reserved portions of each tree to take to his workshop. Holguin hopes to donate some of what he creates using the wood back to the university. “I’ve actually been eyeing a few of the more interesting features on those elms,” he said.

WNMU President Joseph Shepard plans to have a dozen autumn blaze maples in the ground before the new year. “I’ve focused on creating a more sustainable campus in a number of ways. We’ve made a point of incorporating more trees on our grounds, and the number of trees we installed along College Avenue and elsewhere throughout the campus far exceeds the number that we unfortunately have to take down,” he said.

The replacement trees were purchased from a New Mexico company and will be brought from Corrales to Silver City immediately before they are planted at WNMU.

Sustainability is a major focus for the university, which this fall committed to sourcing more than half of its power from renewable energy, launched the WNMU Office of Sustainability, and implemented a reusable container program with Mustang Dining Services.

Portions of the two parking lots facing College Avenue will be closed during this project, as will the southern end of Old James Stadium. There will be intermittent closures of the Brancheau PE Complex ramp and south entrance.