Across from campus, a small grove of pecan trees was planted in the 1930s right outside West End Cemetery, which is located on Washington Street. Tarleton State University is considering cutting these trees down to create a new parking lot. Sena Leese, class of 1966, plans to fight to be able to keep the trees.

“My interest in the grove of trees is very personal. My dad, W.S. Goodlett, Jr. attended John Tarleton Agriculture College from 1934-36. He helped plant those trees,” Leese said.

The area where the trees are planted used to be part of the Agriculture Facilities, which included poultry houses. According to Leese, many work-study students lived in the available housing there.

“It is well known that Tarleton needs parking space. I am as pleased as any Tarleton alumni of the growth and presence of our university in Stephenville and the academic realm,” Leese said. “To cut down the pecan trees is taking away a small memory that I cherish as a daughter of JTAC.”

“I discussed the trees with President F. Dominic Dottavio. He has great respect for trees and traditions and will encourage the plans for the parking areas to include saving as many trees as possible.”

According to Dr. Kyle McGregor, Vice President for Advancement and External Relations, the new parking lot would replace the lot that will be lost when the new Engineering Building is built on lot P30. The new lot should be ready for fall 2017.

“The university takes very seriously our vision to be the premier student-focused university in Texas and beyond. We also take the Core Value of Tradition to heart. Our vision and university tradition must be balanced with fiscal, space and political realities, which sometimes creates opportunities to make challenging decisions,” McGregor said.

“In this case, the reality of limited available space to replace the parking that will be lost when construction begins this spring on the new Engineering Building means that we need to find additional parking to serve our students’ needs.”

McGregor says the school has multiple plans to try and save as many trees as possible based upon utility. A final decision is still pending.

Update: Harry Battson, Assistant Vice President for Marketing and Communications, confirmed the land where the trees are located is Tarleton State University’s property, not property of the City of Stephenville.