Alum Deanne Ecklund '96 Returns to the Circle As Campus Modernization Arborist

 

Deanne Ecklund ’96, has a special connection to the trees at Castilleja, not only because she is the arborist of the campus modernization project, but also because she’s a Casti alum.

“It was exciting to return and to be asked to join the team,” says Deanne, owner of Calyx Tree and Landscape Consulting. The gym is new, she noticed, and the Gunn Administration building was rotated, and the turf on the Circle has changed. Yet the campus feels familiar in many ways. “I remember spending many lunch times and free periods on the grass in the sun on the Circle,” she says. One of her most memorable Casti experiences happened the summer before senior year, when two teachers led six rising seniors on a week-long backpacking trip in Yosemite. “It was my first true immersion in nature, and the experience was formative.”

In college, Deanne majored in math, but she was still ambivalent about what to do next. “I’ve always loved nature and being outdoors has always been my sanctuary. I love plants, so ultimately I decided to follow my passion for trees,” she says. Deanne then earned a horticulture degree and became an arborist. She soon joined the City of Palo Alto’s Urban Forestry Department; later, she worked for an arboricultural consulting company, and finally as an independent consultant. 

Because Deanne knows Castilleja’s landscape architect and the City of Palo Alto’s arborist from previous projects, they work well as a team. She is responsible for inspecting all the trees at Castilleja, making sure the roots and the canopies are not impacted by construction, that they’re being watered appropriately, and that the utilities aren’t placed too close. Deanne helped with the temporary “rolling” relocation of two oaks and two strawberry trees with the use of inflatable rollers and a crane, performed by a specialized contractor company. She also works closely with the general contractor, ensuring construction activities do not encroach on tree protection zones or result in over-pruning of the canopies.

Trees don’t only beautify school campuses; they also impact student well-being.   

“There’s so much interesting research about how nature at schools can benefit students,” says Deanne. “They reduce anxiety and boost mood. Being in nature improves focus and mental clarity, and students perform better on exams if a window has a view of trees or parks. Most of my projects are development related, and in a lot of cases, the developer would rather remove all the trees and replace them because it’s faster and easier.” However, she adds, “the nice thing about this project is it’s clear that Castilleja has prioritized the trees and is willing to go the extra mile to make sure that they survive.”