Among the volunteers was Chris Fiorentino, director of the Jan and Bud Richter Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning.

“Here’s a project that benefits the whole community, specifically the Fresno State community,” Fiorentino said. “It’s good to see people getting involved in in-person service again, especially so many students.”

The planting was the first of two scheduled for both sides of Chestnut Avenue between Bullard and Barstow avenues and consisted of 65 Natchez White crape myrtles. A second planting of 60 trees is scheduled for November. The large-canopy, drought-tolerant trees, which blossom white flowers, will provide a beautiful entrance for visitors to the campus traveling south on Chestnut approaching Barstow, according to Mona Cummings, CEO of Tree Fresno.

“It creates an entry into Fresno State that is special, because trees create an environmental welcome,” Cummings said.

The tree plantings are part of a larger vision that Fresno State has for creating a “greenscape” throughout campus, Cummings added.

“We’re planting both beautiful and usable landscaping that showcases everything the campus has to offer and creates a Fresno State feel,” she said.

Mike Mosinski, senior special projects manager for Facilities Management, said the crape myrtles are the smallest of the large-canopy trees, a strategic choice to avoid infringing on overhead power lines, which the former trees along Chestnut were doing.

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