OXFORD, Ohio — As Miami University advances plans for a new multipurpose arena, a growing coalition of faculty, students and community members is raising alarms over what could be lost alongside the project: a grove of historic trees that advocates say includes one of the oldest Osage orange trees in the country.
For Joel Armor, an assistant teaching professor in the Institute for Innovation in Arts + Design at Miami University’s College of Creative Arts, the debate is about more than landscaping. It is about preserving what he describes as a living ecosystem, a source of artistic inspiration and a piece of campus history that cannot be recreated.
Armor said he first learned during the past academic semester that the university was reevaluating green space near the future arena site, which will be on the current Cook Field grounds. Later, he heard discussions about the possibility of constructing a parking lot in the same area — a plan that, should it come to fruition, would fundamentally alter the landscape.
“When you see this space in its glory and see these magnificent trees, it’s disappointing,” Armor said. “From an ecological standpoint, these trees are extremely important.”
WATCH: Push grows to preserve Miami University's historic trees amid arena project
The arena project is in early stages, and university officials say no final decisions have been made regarding nearby trees.
In a statement, Miami University said it has “extensive experience successfully balancing campus development with the maintenance of our well-known Oxford Campus beauty and abundant green space.”
“At this time, the multipurpose arena project remains in the design development phase, and next steps for the planned adjacent parking area have yet to be established,” the university said. “The university has not made a determination regarding the trees, as we continue to explore options and evaluate the best approach to the impending construction.”
Still, concern has spread across campus as details of the potential plans have circulated.
Steven Sullivan, director of the Hefner Museum of Natural History at Miami University, said the significance of the grove extends well beyond aesthetics.
“Miami University is an amazing place when it comes to trees,” Sullivan said. “We have ancient trees, we have new trees, we have some of the best tree biodiversity in the region.”
Sullivan said that biodiversity benefits the campus community in ways many people may not immediately recognize. Studies, he said, have shown that access to diverse and mature tree canopies can improve focus, encourage healthier lifestyles and even contribute to faster healing and lower crime rates.
“Even if we don’t recognize how wonderful these trees are, they are actually benefiting us materially,” Sullivan said.
A grassroots survey conducted independently by an interdisciplinary group of students, faculty and alumni found overwhelming support for preserving Cook Field and its surrounding green space, while also casting doubt on whether a new arena alone would significantly increase attendance, donations or national visibility for the university.
The survey, which collected responses from 3,347 participants including students, alumni, faculty, staff, parents and Oxford residents, found that 82% of respondents considered Cook Field an important part of the Miami experience, compared with just 31% who said the same about Millett Hall.
Researchers behind the survey said the findings challenge the notion that Cook Field is underutilized. Nearly half of respondents reported frequently using the area for leisure and green space, while informal physical activity ranked as the second most common use.
Armor, a sculptor whose work often centers on trees and ecology, said he was originally brought to the site next to Cook field by his department chair, who knew of his fascination with trees. He quickly became captivated by what he found there, especially a towering Osage orange tree estimated to be roughly 300 years old.
The tree, with a canopy spanning about 100 feet and a height of approximately 45 feet, is believed by advocates to be among the largest and oldest Osage orange trees in the United States, Armor said.
Nearby stand two Eastern white pines estimated at nearly 200 years old and a willow oak believed to be around 180 years old, according to measurements and research conducted by Armor and others advocating for preservation.
Supporters argue the trees represent far more than scenery.
Armor described the grove as an ecological system that helps absorb stormwater, reduce carbon emissions and sustain smaller forms of life, including moss and lichen growing along the trunks and branches.
“You can see the lichen, and you can see the moss,” he said. “It is its own ecosystem.”
Sullivan echoed those concerns, warning that replacing mature trees with pavement would eliminate many environmental benefits.
“As an ecologist, I recognize that parking lots can be pretty problematic,” Sullivan said. “Parking lots stop a lot of the ecological functions that trees contribute. Trees help maintain soil, they decrease the operating costs of your buildings, they absorb toxins. Parking lots simply can’t do that.”
With demolition slated across other parts of campus, the university is investing about $13 million to expand and upgrade student intramural fields. Intramural soccer and flag football fields are planned at the Millett Hall site, along with a walking path and exercise stations.
There are also plans for a multi-purpose field supporting full-size soccer fields, softball fields, flag football fields, rugby field, lacrosse field and intramural soccer fields at Chestnut Fields.
The university expects both the Chestnut and Millett recreation areas to be complete prior to taking Cook Field offline for the arena project.
But for advocates, the issue is not simply whether replacement green space could be created elsewhere on campus.
“You can’t replace 300 years,” Armor said. “Certainly from an ecological standpoint, you can’t.”
Sullivan noted that other trees on campus also predate the university and have silently witnessed generations of students pass beneath their branches.
The Osage orange, he added, may even connect to Oxford’s earliest development. Historically, the species was used to create natural fencing sturdy enough to contain livestock.
“Quite literally, this tree probably yielded stakes to make fences in Oxford to keep pigs in that were then later imported to Porkopolis,” Sullivan said, referencing Cincinnati’s historic nickname.
Armor said opposition to removing the trees has emerged from multiple corners of the university community, though many efforts remain informal as advocates try to gather information and organize support.
“One former student came this morning from several communities away and found out that this tree might be going away and was having some kind of existential dilemma about that,” Armor said.
Despite the concerns, Sullivan expressed confidence that university leaders will weigh the significance of the landscape carefully.
“Miami University is a wonderful place for students,” he said. “Our leaders are working constantly to make sure that we have an effective place to learn, and that includes natural beauties like this.”
For now, the future of the grove remains uncertain as university planners continue evaluating the arena project and adjacent parking plans. But for those fighting to preserve the trees, the debate has already become a broader conversation about stewardship, development and whether centuries-old landmarks can coexist with the university’s future growth.
“Oftentimes we forget those little things,” Sullivan said. “But it’s not even necessary to remember those things when we can come just to bask in the shade of that tree and feel what it has to give to each of us as an individual.”
