An Urban Forestry summit sponsored by Kaulunani and the state Division of Forestry and Wildlife was held at the East-West Center recently. We met and brainstormed for two days with some of the best and brightest from Hawai'i, our sister islands, and even some VIPs from Washington, D.C.

A tour of the campus trees and new Arbor Day plantings was led by University of Hawai'i landscape manager Roxanne Adams. Keith Cline of the Forest Service came on the arboricultural tour and remarked, "The majestic trees and well-maintained landscapes are a most impressive part of the UH-Mänoa." He said the trees left a lasting impression with him that he will take back to the seat of power.

UH was a land-grant college originally, and the campus was a living learning center with a laboratory of trees. Joseph Rock, a committed scientist who gave a lot back to Hawai'i, planted the original core 32 acres of UH with trees and useful plants. Some of those trees remain today. Rare palms and tough old ficus are some of the trees that have withstood the tests of time.

A chaulmoogra tree provided by Rock grows at Foster Botanical Garden. This was one of the original plant cures for leprosy and he brought it here so cures could be researched.

On the Mainland, Rock is well-known for the thousands of beautiful plants he collected from temperate regions of China. In Hawai'i, we know him for his book "Indigenous Trees of the Hawaiian Islands." He was into native Hawaiian plants long before most of his contemporaries.

We were surprised to learn that the University of Hawai'i plans to put a new campus recreation center right where a very large old and sculpturally beautiful Comose fig, scientifically known as Ficus benjamina var. comosa, now stands, planted almost a century ago by Rock, UH's first botanist and internationally renowned plant explorer. Richard Criley, a horticultural professor, appeared on the TV news showing us this amazing tree. It has been recognized as being part of the Joseph Rock Heritage Collection of rare and exceptional campus plants, and it is one of the only specimens of its kind in the state.

The building site could be adjusted to save this tree, as well as some fine 'ulu, or breadfruit cultivars, especially since a plan is just on paper. There is time to adjust the site for the good of all of us and our Hawaiian living tree history.

Botany undergraduate student Adam Williams led a petition to change the plans on paper and put the building where some temporary portables and parking lots now stand.

The original plans for the new recreation center included the historic tree, but they were changed in September. The destruction of this rare and unique tree is opposed by the UH Landscape Advisory Committee, the Outdoor Circle and almost 1,000 students who have signed Williams' petition. The controversy was featured in a front page article of the Ka Leo, and even appeared on the KGMB9 6 p.m. news.

If you feel the campus recreation center should be designed around the Comose fig, not over it, sign the online petition at www.ipetitions.com/petition/savetree.

Heidi Bornhorst is a sustainable-landscape consultant. Submit questions to islandlife@honoluluadvertiser.com or Island Life, The Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802.