Behind the oak trees, flower petals and rose bushes, students all across LSU campus use the scenery as an escape and a place to connect with each other.
“I like being surrounded by people when I’m doing school or studying, so I can watch people,” Alexandria Bonin, a freshman studying mass communications, said. “Those places just tend to have the most going on while also being calm enough for me to focus.”
The LSU Landscape Services department is responsible for maintaining and enhancing the 1,200 acres of the university’s vast campus. They are responsible for creating the environment that is welcoming and inviting not only to students, but to the 1 million visitors per year that visit the campus.
Kyle Carlock serves as the horticulture, arboriculture and project manager for the university’s Landscape Services department. Carlock has always had a love of plants and making something beautiful out of nothing.
“I’ve been involved with landscape from just a toddler,” Carlock said. “I’ve always enjoyed being outside and getting my hands dirty and just making something out of nothing. Make it beautiful.”
Once a student himself, Carlock graduated from LSU with a degree in landscape and turf management. He recalls the sense of peace he would find in a nice place to study, specifically Memorial Oak Grove.
“It kind of isolates you from the other campus. It’s a beautiful spot to just sit and relax and take a deep breath,” Carlock said.
The Memorial Oak Grove was established in the 1920s as a living memorial for LSU students and alumni that lost their lives in World War I. Each tree represents a fallen soldier. In recent years Landscape Services’ Spring Greening initiative revamped the area into the place it is today.
LSU Landscape Services has a team of over 60 people that tend to everything from the oak trees to the flower bushes. Jeffrey Brocato serves as director of Landscape Services and wishes students knew about all the volunteer opportunities that the department has.
“I wish they would know there’s different things they can participate in,” Brocato said. “We have many different campus cleanup projects that students can also volunteer for. We have a campus walk, a campus light walk. Students can walk the campus at night and if they see lights that are out they can reach out to facility services and let us know what’s going on.”
In April, the LSU Landscape Services and Campus Sustainability held their annual Spring Greening Day. Students volunteered to help beautify the area around Memorial Tower. In past Spring Greening days they have helped beautify the Greek Amphitheater, Tower Drive and more.
Students wanting to get involved in helping keep LSU’s campus beautiful can contact Landscape Services or LSU’s Campus Sustainability office.
