UBC’s Spring 2022 Graduation Ceremonies started earlier this week. We would like to take this opportunity to extend our warmest congratulations to all graduates. Apart from attending graduation ceremonies, the class of 2022 will probably plant a tree on Vancouver campus to celebrate its graduation, a well-known UBC tradition. This tradition started in 1919 and since then every graduating class has followed the tradition and conducted the Tree-Planting Ceremony. We have compiled the photographs of Tree-Planting Ceremonies throughout decades.
Graduating Class of 1968
At the new Student Union Building, the graduating class of 1968 planted a sugar maple which unfortunately did not survive.
Frank Gnup with watering can at graduating class tree planting ceremony, 1968-06
Graduating Classes of 1977 & 1978
Both graduating classes of 1977 and 1978 planted a Western Red Cedar respectively in Fairview Grove on Main Mall.
Grad class tree planting, 1977-03
Graduate class tree planting ceremony, 1978-05
Graduating Class of 1981
Professor Douglas T. Kenny, the seventh President of UBC, planted a Japanese Flowering Cherry with the graduate in the Dentistry Courtyard.
Gary Hamata, J.V. Clyne and Douglas T. Kenny at tree planting at congregation, 1981-05-27
Graduating Class of 1990
On March 30th, 1990, the graduating class of 1990 planted an Austrian Black Pine on East Mall between the Law and Buchanan Buildings. This Austrian Black Pine has now grown to its full size.
David Strangway, an unidentified woman and Leslie Peterson at graduate class tree planting ceremony, 1990-03-30
Graduating Class of 2001
On March 22nd, 2001, the graduating Class of 2001 planted a Honey Locust at the corner of East Mall and Thunderbird Boulevard. This commemorative tree is now next to the trees planted by the graduating classes of 2000, 1998, and 1997.
View of graduating class tree planting ceremony, 2001-03
If you go to the area between the Mathematics Building and the Geography Building, you will see trees planted by the graduating classes of the 1920s. Similarly, if you walk around Northwest Marine Drive and East Mall, you will find trees planted by the graduating classes of early 2010s. For more details of the class trees, we recommended that you browse the UBC Archives Collection and refer to the following map.
References
Campus Trees. (n.d.). UBC Campus + Community Planning. https://planning.ubc.ca/planning-development/policies-and-plans/public-realm-planning/campus-trees
Rediscovering our Roots: The UBC Tree-Planting Ceremony. (n.d.). Graduation at UBC. https://graduation.ubc.ca/event/about/tree-planting-ceremony/
The New Student Union Building is completed. (n.d.). UBC Centennial. http://100.ubc.ca/timeline/the-new-student-union-building-is-completed/
