Buffalo State’s 6th Annual Big Dig Demonstrates the Power of Collaboration

Buffalo State University’s Maud Gordon Holmes Arboretum—formally dedicated in 1962 in honor of Maud Gordon Holmes, founder of the Garden Center Institute of Buffalo—began as a collection of 300 trees. It now comprises more than 1,400—99 percent of which were intentionally planted. Part of this effort is the annual Big Dig, during which volunteers plant a variety of native trees on the university’s campus. 

More than 80 participants came together on Saturday, October 18, including representatives from the Buffalo Sunrise Rotarians, the Buffalo State Rowing Club, and students and faculty members from the Biology department. 

Steven Sypniewski, assistant campus planner, arboretum manager, and campus arborist, managed operations from pre-dawn until afternoon.

“This highly successful Big Dig 6 brought together the Buffalo State community and the public,” Sypniewski said. “The Big Dig significantly increased and diversified the Buffalo State urban forest by nearly 40 trees.”

Additional leadership included the Friends of the Maud Gordon Holmes Arboretum executive team: Susan McCartney, Andrea Lizak, Susan Maguire, Robert Warren, and Donald Williams. 

“It was a wonderful opportunity to contribute to Buffalo State University,” added Williams, a senior economics major and Buffalo State Rowing Club member. “As a student, the Big Dig is the perfect way to be involved with the campus. I look forward to seeing all the new trees that we planted grow and mature.”

Volunteers planted maple, adler, osage orange, oak, ironwood, and American Basswood trees.

Learn more about ways to engage with the Maud Gordon Holmes Arboretum all year long.

Photo by Domenic J. Licata.