Between May 30 and June 28 of this year, a series of interventions are being carried out on the tree system of our Faculty of Civil Engineering and the Faculty of Natural, Exact, and Educational Sciences, with the aim of restoring and conserving the university ecosystem. So now you know: we recommend paying attention to the signage when walking around our campuses.

The trees planted across the Alma Mater of Cauca form a wonderful ecosystem that coexists with every member of our university community, offering countless benefits like clean air, shade, beautiful flowers, and the occasional delicious fruit. Without a doubt, their presence makes the University not only look beautiful and green, but also fosters a healthy environment. And of course, we must not forget that these trees are also home to animals and insects that are essential to the ecosystem's balance, such as birds, bees, squirrels, and opossums vital parts of our local environment.

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Taking all this into account, on Friday, May 30, a presentation was held at the Faculty of Natural, Exact, and Educational Sciences, led by Topoforestal (a company founded by Unicauca alumni), the Center for Quality Management and Institutional Accreditation, and supported by a group of expert professors. During the session, it was shared that between May 30 and June 28, 2025, interventions will be carried out on around 23 trees located in the Faculties of Civil Engineering and Natural, Exact, and Educational Sciences, both located on the Tulcán campus in Popayán.

These actions, authorized by the Autonomous Regional Corporation of Cauca (CRC), the regulatory body for such processes, mainly involve maintenance pruning to preserve and protect the intervened trees. However, some trees will unfortunately need to be completely removed due to the high risk of tipping or falling branches, especially given the recent heavy rains.

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Although we understand this is a sensitive topic that may cause sadness, it’s important for us as members of the Unicauca community to understand that these decisions are made with the well-being of the trees, the safety of our university community, and the protection of the campus fauna in mind. But there’s good news too! As part of this effort, native species will also be planted reinforcing our commitment to preserving green spaces. In addition, diagnostics will be conducted to detect the presence of fauna in the trees, and if any is found, Topoforestal will carry out a controlled relocation, following all necessary protocols to avoid harm and minimize the impact on their habitat dynamics.

It’s also essential to keep in mind the recommendations shared by engineer Jennifer Palechor, representative of Topoforestal:
"While Topoforestal will try to carry out interventions during times when students, faculty, and staff are not present, there will be moments when the community will see us at work; in these cases, all areas will be properly marked. As general advice, please remember that we’ll be performing high-risk operations, so you must not stop in unsafe areas to watch without taking the proper precautions. Our team will be focused on the task, but it’s important you’re aware of the present risks and therefore respect the marked zones."

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So, if over the next few days you notice signs or personnel working near campus trees, we invite you to walk carefully and pay close attention. Please don’t cross the safety tape used to isolate these areas—we’ve already seen in other instances that some people ignore such warnings. Let’s protect ourselves and each other! These efforts are not only about caring for our natural surroundings, but also about ensuring the safety of everyone who shares this space.

 

Written by: Center for Communications Management