by Zoe Duck
After a devastating Tornado hit Oklahoma Baptist University’s campus last spring, many
changes are being made. Students have a lot to say about these changes, including negative feelings about the removal of their favorite tree.
Ah, the OBU campus. Home to beautiful sights such as Raley Chapel, the engagement fountain, and lots and LOTS of construction. Since the spring of 2023, OBU has been recovering from an F2 tornado, after it littered the campus with debris.
On April 19th, 2023, The Baptist Standard published: “the National Weather Service determined the multiple tornadoes that swept through five Oklahoma counties likely included one EF-3, two EF-2s, one EF-1 and one EF-0. The tornado that hit Shawnee was 1.3 miles wide and was on the ground for 27 minutes, traveling 15.5 miles and reaching wind speeds of up to 135 mph, the weather service reported.”
This is the most devastating natural disaster our campus has ever seen and we now have a strict tornado emergency plan in place. Raley Chapel, Shawnee Hall, some dormitories, and multiple other buildings on the OBU campus were seriously damaged. Among other things damaged were multiple trees, fountains, and sidewalks. Despite the damage, we moved forward.
Since the tornado, many plans had been put into action involving various buildings being redone on campus. The main ideas and visions were introduced by president Dr. Heath Thomas to the public during The Weekend. With all the changes across campus happening, some were accepted more than others.
Many people lamented the removal of the big tree right outside the GC. No one knows when it was planted or if it was there at the start of the campus’s construction. This tree had been a silent witness to generations of students hurrying to class, laughing under its branches, and stealing quiet moments of reflection beneath its shade. Its branches stretched wide and welcoming, and in autumn, it turned into a cascade of brilliant colors. Students loved this tree. On stressful exam days, you’d find students on the benches under it, flipping through flashcards or simply leaning back, their anxiety melting away under the tree. Spending time in nature can act as healing for our busy brains.
Many students were greatly saddened or even angry about the tree being cut down. Both
correlational and experimental research have shown that interacting with nature has cognitive benefits—a topic University of Chicago psychologist Marc Berman, PhD, and his student Kathryn Schertz explored in a 2019 review. They reported, for instance, that green spaces near schools promote cognitive development in children and green views near children’s homes promote self-control behaviors. Adults assigned to public housing units in neighborhoods with more green space showed better attentional functioning than those assigned to units with less access to natural environments. And experiments have found that being exposed to natural environments improves working memory, cognitive flexibility and attentional control, while exposure to urban environments is linked to attention deficits
Many students expressed understanding that the trees were most likely fremoved for necessary and practical reasons, but still say they miss seeing the historical tree.
“Devastating, just got here and it was one of my favorite things,” Jadyn McMahan, freshman cross cultural ministry major said.
Sue Meshew, junior criminal justice major suggested we should all “dress up as the Lorax. Chain ourselves to the trees. I love trees, the shade for sitting outside, homes for the squirrels. I’m really sad about them all being chopped down.”
OBU was severly damaged by the tornado. It is no surprise that many things are having to be repaired. The familiar landscape of leafy trees and shaded walkways has transformed into a scene of construction. Of course those elements need to be prioritized, but we are looking forward to more trees in the future!
