In early August, two of the three remaining elm trees in Augsburg’s quad were removed in an effort to save the third tree from Dutch Elm disease. Tom Peter, a local certified arborist and wood-turning artist, reserved some of the wood to be transformed into pieces of art available to alumni and friends of the College.
Peter takes pride in giving an ever-lasting voice to the trees, and is honored to have been chosen for the project. He has made a gift to the College of a vessel, inset with a medallion (at left). His work carries the history of the trees’ beautiful past and can be seen for decades to come. This piece and others will be available for viewing at the Taste Of Augsburg in Murphy Park on Saturday, October 10.
The elms created wonderful character of space in the quad for decades, and have helped inspire our longer-term visioning of the central campus as a larger green space that, over time, becomes an even more significant component of campus life.
To learn more about Augsburg’s urban arboretum and how you may own a wood-turned creation from the elm trees, please contact Amanda Storm Schuster, Director of Leadership Gifts at 612-330-1098 or schustea@augsburg.edu.