Fate of building 20?: Greenhouses and vegetation in jeopardy
Dylan Slusser
Issue date: 12/14/09 Section: News
Talks are underway over the fate of Building 20 which houses the horticulture and floristry department. Building 20, surrounding vegetation and greenhouses are in jeopardy of being transformed into parking lots.
The greenhouses, surrounding area and the proposed Edison parking lot were discussed at a Dec. 11 planning meeting facilitated by Susan Estes, vice president of instruction.
During the 2001 creation of a master plan to beautify the campus, it was noticed that parking was lopsided, said President Michael Claire at the meeting. When Building 10 is finished, it will increase the need for parking. Building 20 has many student services like EOPS that will be transfered to Building 10 upon completion.
"It would take 12 to 15 years to replicate what we have done ... (in the greenhouses)," said Tania Beliz, professor of biology. "Classes can take field trips right here on campus."
Around Building 20 there are many plants used as teaching guides like the Sago Palm, said Linda Hand, professor of geology, oceanography, and paleontology. The Sago Palm is actually not a palm at all but it is a teaching aid from the Jurassic period. From seeing where and how the Sago Palm grows today, students can surmise how the climate must have been in the areas where they were found in ancient times.
"It is always better to see a plant in person than a picture in a textbook," said Hand.
There is a living fossil -- the Dawn Redwood Tree, a giant Bird of Paradise, a China Doll, and a Shiny Xyolsma that could be threatened if the parking lot proposal goes through, said Lin Bowie, an instructor of horticulture.
"I have been teaching here since 1981 and I used to see deer grazing here in the early mornings and late evenings," said Kate Deline, professor of chemistry. "I wanted to teach here because the campus was so beautiful. I teach in Building 36 and it is a great facility but it killed me to watch them cut down all of the trees for it. Then they cut down perfectly good trees in the quad and now want the greenhouses to be parking lots?"
"Right now we are going over a criteria for decision making," said Estes. "We have not definitely decided to level Building 20. We have not definitely decided to get rid of the plant life. We are weighing our instructional needs versus our parking needs."
The greenhouses, surrounding area and the proposed Edison parking lot were discussed at a Dec. 11 planning meeting facilitated by Susan Estes, vice president of instruction.
During the 2001 creation of a master plan to beautify the campus, it was noticed that parking was lopsided, said President Michael Claire at the meeting. When Building 10 is finished, it will increase the need for parking. Building 20 has many student services like EOPS that will be transfered to Building 10 upon completion.
"It would take 12 to 15 years to replicate what we have done ... (in the greenhouses)," said Tania Beliz, professor of biology. "Classes can take field trips right here on campus."
Around Building 20 there are many plants used as teaching guides like the Sago Palm, said Linda Hand, professor of geology, oceanography, and paleontology. The Sago Palm is actually not a palm at all but it is a teaching aid from the Jurassic period. From seeing where and how the Sago Palm grows today, students can surmise how the climate must have been in the areas where they were found in ancient times.
"It is always better to see a plant in person than a picture in a textbook," said Hand.
There is a living fossil -- the Dawn Redwood Tree, a giant Bird of Paradise, a China Doll, and a Shiny Xyolsma that could be threatened if the parking lot proposal goes through, said Lin Bowie, an instructor of horticulture.
"I have been teaching here since 1981 and I used to see deer grazing here in the early mornings and late evenings," said Kate Deline, professor of chemistry. "I wanted to teach here because the campus was so beautiful. I teach in Building 36 and it is a great facility but it killed me to watch them cut down all of the trees for it. Then they cut down perfectly good trees in the quad and now want the greenhouses to be parking lots?"
"Right now we are going over a criteria for decision making," said Estes. "We have not definitely decided to level Building 20. We have not definitely decided to get rid of the plant life. We are weighing our instructional needs versus our parking needs."
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BrendaB
Brenda Bennett
posted 2/01/10 @ 5:34 PM PST
I am currently enrolled in the Horticulture program and as a student it is imperative that programs that focus on the green industry in San Mateo County-which has a huge agricultural base- be allowed to continue and flourish. (Continued…)
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