To inject new vitality into the campus greenery, the Department of Landscape Architecture at Chung Yuan Christian University’s College of Design held a planting and tidying event on April 13. The initiator, Associate Professor Peng Wen-Hui of the Landscape Architecture Department, integrated the event with a practical planting design course. She invited tree expert Teacher Zhan Feng-Chun and a team of students, collaborating with alumni resources, to comprehensively tidy and beautify the campus, collectively contributing to the greening efforts of their alma mater.
The Design Complex located on the east side of the campus has witnessed the thriving development of Chung Yuan Christian University. The three old buildings surrounding the complex—Faith, Hope, and Love—once served different purposes but have now been transformed into the teaching spaces for the School of Design. Over the years, the trees within the complex have grown lush, but some old trees have withered, and the long-term lack of maintenance has made the overall environment appear dark and congested. To improve the landscape quality of the complex, Professor Wen-Hui Peng raised 200,000 NTD from alumni of the Department of Architecture to cover the costs of manpower, plants, and equipment needed for the project.
This renovation activity originated from the planting design course for second-year students in the Department of Landscape Architecture, aimed at fostering students’ attention to campus greening. Under the guidance of Professor Feng-Chun Zhan, the students carefully examined the growth conditions of each tree, prioritized addressing problematic trees, and began improving the environment to create more suitable growth conditions for them. At the same time, the students also focused on the overall landscape planning, reorganizing the pathways, and selecting appropriate greenery, hoping to create a beautiful garden scenery for the School of Design.
On the day of the activity, the students divided the work among themselves: some trimmed branches and leaves, while others cleared away fallen debris. Accompanied by the rhythm of cutting tools, the garden gradually revived with new life. Professor Feng-Chun Zhan reminded the students that they needed to understand the physiological characteristics of the trees before designing appropriate measures for them, as each design impacts the future of the environment. Through this planting maintenance activity, Chung Yuan’s Landscape Architecture students learned how to maintain campus greenery from aspects such as tree pruning aesthetics and spatial layout planning. They ensured the healthy growth of campus trees and the beautification of the overall landscape. The key to renovation lies in understanding tree characteristics and environmental configuration, focusing on enhancing the overall effect of greening rather than just simple pruning.
The Office of Institutional Research and Sustainable Development at Chung Yuan Christian University stated that there are approximately 2,080 trees on campus, which not only beautify the environment but also serve as natural classrooms for students’ growth and learning. To ensure these trees remain healthy and thriving, the university has established a “Campus Tree Maintenance” special account. This account is used to fund annual tree maintenance work, including soil improvement, pruning, and pest control, ensuring a conducive growth environment for the trees. Additionally, it aims to deepen donors’ understanding of the current state and management needs of campus trees, encouraging faculty and students to actively support and pay attention to the special account.
