Not funny.
<font size="3">Toomer's Corner oaks poisoned with herbicide; unlikely to
survive
Auburn University today confirmed that an
herbicide commonly used to kill trees was deliberately applied in lethal amounts
to the soil around the Toomer's Corner live oaks on campus, and there is little
chance to save the trees. More information and ongoing updates as to treatment
and prognosis are available at www.auburn.edu/oaks.
The City of
Auburn Police Division is investigating the situation, and the application of
this herbicide, known as Spike 80DF, or tebuthiuron, is also governed by state
agricultural laws and the Environmental Protection Agency. The university does
not use Spike herbicide. There is no reason to suspect any human danger from the
herbicide, which manufacturer Dow Chemical says should be applied with proper
clothing protection; a typical use of the herbicide is to kill trees along fence
lines.</font><font size="3">
The university learned that a caller to The Paul Finebaum Show, a
nationally syndicated radio show based in Birmingham, on Jan. 27, claimed he had
applied the herbicide. As a precaution, soil samples were taken the next day and
sent to the Alabama State Pesticide Residue Laboratory on campus for analysis.
Due to a small fire that occurred in the Alabama lab in December, the tests were
sent to the lab at Mississippi State University in Starkville, Miss., to
expedite results.
The lowest amount detected was 0.78 parts per million,
described by horticulture experts as a "very lethal dose." The highest amount
detected was 51 parts per million, or 65 times the lowest dose. Experts believe
a normal application by itself would have been enough to kill the trees, which
are estimated to be more than 130 years old.
"We are assessing the extent
of the damage and proceeding as if we have a chance to save the trees," said
Gary Keever, an Auburn University professor of horticulture and a member of
Auburn's Tree Preservation Committee. "We are also focused on protecting the
other trees and shrubs in Samford Park. At this level the impact could be much
greater than just the oaks on the corner, as Spike moves through the soil to a
wide area." Additional tests are being completed to determine the movement and
extent of the area affected, Keever said.
The removal process involves
digging trenches and applying activated charcoal to absorb the herbicide from
the soil and block its progress. A representative from Dow Chemical, which
manufactures the herbicide, is advising the university on removal procedures,
and expert horticulturalists are also being consulted.
"We will take
every step we can to save the Toomer's oaks, which have been the home of
countless celebrations and a symbol of the Auburn spirit for generations of
Auburn students, fans, alumni and the community," said University President Jay
Gogue.
Gogue asked members of the Auburn Family to "continue to be 'All
In' in upholding its reputation for class" and not allow anger to be expressed
inappropriately or undeservedly.
"It is understandable to feel outrage
in reaction to a malicious act of vandalism," Gogue said. "However, we should
live up to the example we set in becoming national champions and the beliefs
expressed in our Auburn Creed. Individuals act alone, not on behalf of anyone or
any place, and all universities are vulnerable to and condemn such reprehensible
acts."
Because the application of the herbicide is being investigated,
no details about the investigation can be released. Anyone with information can
contact the Auburn Police Division at (334) 501-3110 or anonymously by voice or
text on the tip line at (334) 246-1391.</font><font size="3">
</font>
<font size="3">Toomer's Corner oaks poisoned with herbicide; unlikely to
survive
Auburn University today confirmed that an
herbicide commonly used to kill trees was deliberately applied in lethal amounts
to the soil around the Toomer's Corner live oaks on campus, and there is little
chance to save the trees. More information and ongoing updates as to treatment
and prognosis are available at www.auburn.edu/oaks.
The City of
Auburn Police Division is investigating the situation, and the application of
this herbicide, known as Spike 80DF, or tebuthiuron, is also governed by state
agricultural laws and the Environmental Protection Agency. The university does
not use Spike herbicide. There is no reason to suspect any human danger from the
herbicide, which manufacturer Dow Chemical says should be applied with proper
clothing protection; a typical use of the herbicide is to kill trees along fence
lines.</font><font size="3">
The university learned that a caller to The Paul Finebaum Show, a
nationally syndicated radio show based in Birmingham, on Jan. 27, claimed he had
applied the herbicide. As a precaution, soil samples were taken the next day and
sent to the Alabama State Pesticide Residue Laboratory on campus for analysis.
Due to a small fire that occurred in the Alabama lab in December, the tests were
sent to the lab at Mississippi State University in Starkville, Miss., to
expedite results.
The lowest amount detected was 0.78 parts per million,
described by horticulture experts as a "very lethal dose." The highest amount
detected was 51 parts per million, or 65 times the lowest dose. Experts believe
a normal application by itself would have been enough to kill the trees, which
are estimated to be more than 130 years old.
"We are assessing the extent
of the damage and proceeding as if we have a chance to save the trees," said
Gary Keever, an Auburn University professor of horticulture and a member of
Auburn's Tree Preservation Committee. "We are also focused on protecting the
other trees and shrubs in Samford Park. At this level the impact could be much
greater than just the oaks on the corner, as Spike moves through the soil to a
wide area." Additional tests are being completed to determine the movement and
extent of the area affected, Keever said.
The removal process involves
digging trenches and applying activated charcoal to absorb the herbicide from
the soil and block its progress. A representative from Dow Chemical, which
manufactures the herbicide, is advising the university on removal procedures,
and expert horticulturalists are also being consulted.
"We will take
every step we can to save the Toomer's oaks, which have been the home of
countless celebrations and a symbol of the Auburn spirit for generations of
Auburn students, fans, alumni and the community," said University President Jay
Gogue.
Gogue asked members of the Auburn Family to "continue to be 'All
In' in upholding its reputation for class" and not allow anger to be expressed
inappropriately or undeservedly.
"It is understandable to feel outrage
in reaction to a malicious act of vandalism," Gogue said. "However, we should
live up to the example we set in becoming national champions and the beliefs
expressed in our Auburn Creed. Individuals act alone, not on behalf of anyone or
any place, and all universities are vulnerable to and condemn such reprehensible
acts."
Because the application of the herbicide is being investigated,
no details about the investigation can be released. Anyone with information can
contact the Auburn Police Division at (334) 501-3110 or anonymously by voice or
text on the tip line at (334) 246-1391.</font><font size="3">
</font>
