I’ve written before about the extraordinary beauty of the trees at Frances M. Maguire Hall. Among the property’s great assets are the large-scale, mature shade trees, some of which date to the 19th century when the mansion was built.

One such specimen is a large European beech, which is the oldest tree on the property. Its massive trunk is so big that it took five staff members, holding hands in a human chain, to circle its circumference. Maguire Hall also boasts an amazing American elm that somehow survived Dutch elm disease, many large maples, oaks, zelkovas, and pines, and single established examples of horse chestnut, yellowwood, cypress, and Kentucky coffeetree, along with a variety of smaller, understory and flowering trees. 

With the guidance of our long-standing partners and friends – the expert consulting arborists at the Morris Arboretum and the visionary landscape architects at Andropogon Associates – Woodmere has developed a landscape plan for Maguire Hall. 

A top priority is taking care of the existing trees, especially the large shade trees. Our new green parking surfaces, for example, will be integrated into the landscape in a way that preserves existing trees. We will also add a substantial number of new trees, creating a diverse balance of age, size, and local species necessary for the overall health of the tree canopy and the ecosystem. 

Having developed a plan, a first step is upon us this very week: the removal of dead and near-dead trees and those with less than a five-year life expectancy. We will start on the property’s periphery with those trees that require immediate attention because of extreme conditions and potential threats to pedestrians, power lines, and traffic. PECO has been our partner and has already been to Maguire Hall to perform the delicate work of removing dead branches intertwined with power lines.

As you hear the hum of buzz saws, please know that Woodmere’s plan puts safety first, and our goal is a greener, more beautiful, and more stimulating tree experience at Maguire Hall.

Trees cool the ecosystem, sustain the life cycles of birds and insects, sequester carbon from the air we breathe, and help control the increasing loads of stormwater. Identification and exploration of trees is integrated into Woodmere’s education activities already, because understanding trees, like understanding works of art, requires visual literacy, cultivation of knowledge, and an appreciation of the beauty around us we sometimes take for granted. 

We are a museum, so we will continue to integrate sculpture into the landscape, using art to engage visitors with nature, community, civics and a shared responsibility of stewardship that stretches into the future. 

Valerio is the Patricia Van Burgh Allison Director and CEO of Woodmere Art Museum.