Did you know that in the 1860s the Trustees of Dartmouth College commissioned the landscape architectural firm, Lee & Follen, to develop its first campus wide landscape plan? Since then the preservation and enrichment of the campus and balancing the buildings and open space have remained priorities. Our campus trees define open spaces, relationships and serve a plethora of aesthetic and environmental functions. Consequently, their care and management are central to the preservation of Dartmouth’s identity. Today I met with Dartmouth’s arborist, Dave DiBenedetto, and Bill Flynn of Saucier and Flynn Landscape Architects to discuss our tree inventory. The inventory is the foundation of a sound management plan. It’s also useful for campus planners. As we update the 2006 inventory, we hope to create a dynamic database that’s accessible on the web and easy to update. We’re also looking to update our bench inventory. Stay tuned.