Southeastern gets the gift of shade

Southeastern Louisiana University was awarded 250 trees by the Apache Foundation to replace vegetation lost and damaged during hurricanes Katrina and Gustav. The trees include live oaks, southern magnolias, tulip poplars, parsley hawthorns and sweet bay magnolias, and have been planted in the area around Southeastern’s Friendship Circle and throughout North Campus. Since 2006, the philanthropic arm of Apache Corporation, an oil and gas exploration and production company, has donated one million trees to non-profit organizations across the nation to encourage environmentalism and community enhancement. Southeastern’s Landscape and Grounds division of Physical Plant Services applied for the grant in the summer of 2009. The trees were planted this month with the help of student and community volunteers.