The Jefferson National Expansion Memorial houses the Gateway Arch, a monument dedicated to the westward expansion of the United States through the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, as well as a visitor center and the Museum of Westward Expansion. Over 900 ash trees are located along the walks that lead to the Arch from the north and the south. Since the early 2000s, the park has experienced an infestation of emerald ash borer beetles, an invasive species not native to the area. The beetles pose a threat to the memorial’s Rosehill ash trees, which are roughly 46 percent of the trees on the Arch grounds. In response to the destruction, the National Park Service began a tree replacement program in October 2010 along with the CityArchRiver2015 project, with its final concept selected in September 2010. The plan is to add increased diversity to the vegetation on the grounds and to revitalize the park.
Contributed by Samantha Rosenbloom
Course: Modern Global Environmental History
Instructor: Dr. Wilko Graf von Hardenberg
University of Wisconsin–Madison, US
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