New Trees Honor Shared Founding
The city of Oberlin and Oberlin College have joined efforts to enhance the overall community by embarking on a cooperative tree-planting project that will total 175 trees in recognition of the city and college’s 175th anniversary.
The city plans to plant 89 trees at various locations including Depot Park, South Street Park, Legion Field, Spring Street Park, Park Street Park, Spring Street Park, Roadside Park, Hamilton Street recreation complex, and curb lawns at various locations. 
They also will plant trees in Wright Park and Martin Luther King Jr. Park and try to coordinate the planting with ceremonies slated there in the future.
In addition, the city plans to use these species of trees considered native to Ohio: bald cypress, black gum, dynasty elm, coffee tree, hackberry, hornbeam, linden, locust skyline, maple red, oak red, serviceberry, sycamore, tulip, and willow.
The College plans to plant up to 115 trees. Designated residence halls and locations on and around campus include the Grey Gables lot, soccer bleachers area, athletic fields, Bailey, Barnard, Tank, Harvey, Harkness, Lewis House, Tappan Square, Science Center, Art Museum, Morgan Street Park, and a few other places.
The College has chosen the following species of trees to plant once planting season gets under way next year: river birch, ironwood, Norway spruce, silverbell, serviceberry, cherry, mulberry, filbert, redbud, American elm, yellowwood, arborvitae, apple, peach, plum, Japanese stewartia, red oak, seven son flower tree, and red maple.
In a symbolic nod to the founders—the Rev. John J. Shipherd and Philo P. Stewart—the College recently planted a disease-resistant American elm on the east side of the square, about 150 yards north of the Historic Elm site. The legendary tree, which shaded the cabin of Peter Pindar Pease, Oberlin’s first settler, succumbed to disease and was cur down on April 13, 1965.
“We hope those plantings will maintain Oberlin’s arboreal splendor for future generations,” President Marvin Krislov stated.