Know your Semester Tree?
At the beginning of the winter semester in October fresh students, together with third-semester students, plant a Semester Tree. In this way every generation of new students at the Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology leaves it’s mark on the Forest Botanical Garden!
The tradition of planting a Semester Tree within the Forest Botanical Garden had been around since 1993. The tree, provided by the Forest Botanical Garden, is donated to students in their first semester by those in their third semester. Planting is an inherent part of the introductory week at the onset of the winter semester, and takes place during the new forestry students’ first field trip to the Forest Botanical Garden.
Just as the Semester Tree is thriving and prospering in the Forest Botanical Garden, it is a symbol of a successful course of studies at the faculty.
So far the following Semester Trees have been planted:
- 1993 Carpinus betulus ’Quercifolia’, European Hornbeam cultivar
- 1994 Quercus palustris, Pin Oak
- 1995 Corylus colurna ’Granat’, Turkish Hazel cultivar
- 1996 Quercus bicolor, Swamp White Oak
- 1997 Fraxinus excelsior ’Pendula’, Weeping Ash
- 1998 Quercus macrocarpa, Bur Oak
- 1999 Acer pseudoplatanus ’Leopoldii’, Sycamore cultivar
- 2000 Tilia amurensis, Amur Linden
- 2001 Fagus sylvatica ‘Purpurea Tricolor’, European Beech cultivar
- 2002 Quercus pontica, Pontine Oak
- 2003 Cunninghamia lanceolata
- 2004 Quercus imbricaria, Shingle Oak
- 2005 Cedrus atlantica, Atlantic Oak
- 2006 Quercus imbricaria, Shingle Oak
- 2007 Tilia mongolica, Mongolian Linden
- 2008 Fraxinus angustifolia ssp. oxycarpa, Caucasian Ash
- 2009 Euptelea polyandra
- 2010 Cupressus arizonica var. nevadensis, Piute Cypress
- 2011 Sorbus torminalis , Elsbeere
- 2012 Quercus aliena var. aliena, Japanische Weißeiche
In 2002 final-semester forestry students from the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Hildesheim/ Holzminden/ Göttingen also planted a Class Tree for the first time – a nice idea which will hopefully continue!
Class Trees of the Forestry course at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Hildesheim/ Holzminden/ Göttingen:
- 2002: Maclura pomifera, Osage-Orange
Class Trees of the Arboriculture course at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Hildesheim/ Holzminden/ Göttingen:
- 2007: Quercus palustris, Pin Oak
- 2009: Magnolia acuminata, Cucumber Tree