Dr. Malcolm Guidry and Fred Fellner save Southeastern's beloved Friendship Oak.

Dec. 1, 2022

(HAMMOND, LA) Out of all 20 named live oaks at Southeastern Louisiana University, Friendship Oak is the most iconic. With the oak being a historic part of campus, the university has taken the initiative to usher in preservation efforts. 

Friendship Oak is being preserved because arborists have urged Southeastern to limit foot traffic on the root zone of the tree. The soil compaction, especially on wet soil, has contributed to the damage. The arborists state that the gradual decline of the tree canopy is directly related to the condition of the tree roots.

Southeastern’s Assistant Director of Physical Plant Services and Grounds, Carlos Doolittle, has partnered with Dr. Malcolm Guidry and his assistant Dr. Fred Fellner, a consulting arborist, and forester, to provide preservation recommendations for Friendship Oak. Guidry graduated from Southeastern in 1957 and Fellner graduated from Southeastern in 1977. Guidry graduated from Southeastern with his undergraduate degree back in the '50s.  He remembers taking pictures under Friendship Oak and meeting his wife as a student on campus.

“I, in my old career, have traced the plant life environment. Whatever happens to a tree, however, it happens we try to figure out forensically what the issues are. Carlos called me and asked if I’d be interested and I said definitely. We visited, looked at the tree, and saw that the roots were suffocating,” said Guidry.

“Dr. Guidry's primary opinion is that the soil has been retaining too much moisture and has been impacted by foot traffic around the tree,” said Doolittle. “ He has made some recommendations including removing compacted mulches from under the tree canopy and improving drainage. The soil has been holding too much water in rainy times, which deprives the roots of oxygen. Remediate soil quality,  relocate sidewalks,  top-dress the soil under the tree canopy,  reinstall lightning protection cables,  install a barrier to discourage foot traffic under the tree, and plant groundcover plants under the tree.” 

The drainage improvement, soil remediation, soil top dressing and lightning protection cable reinstalment are especially important because they are being performed by Bob's Tree Preservation.

The drainage improvements and soil remediation will require working in the root zone of the tree with a tool called an Air Spade. This tool uses pressurized air to erode soil to open trenches without damaging tree roots. The trenches will be used to install French drains and to backfill with improved soil and organic material. The chippings that will be used as topdressing will come from a pile at Southeastern’s Compost Facility. The chippings are from trees that fell on campus during Hurricane Ida.

 Next fall and winter, groundcovers are to be planted in the top-dressed areas under Friendship Oak. Ground cover plants will be beneficial to the tree. After they’re established, it will further discourage foot traffic on the root zone of the tree.

While trees need water, the roots were suffocating. The tree has declined in stress, and the tree could die. Fellner feels that there’s hope, there’s life there, and they plan to work on the preservation between Thanksgiving and Christmas break.

“All of Southeastern is cheering on Friendship Oak,” says Doolittle.

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