Talking Trees

Get to know your trees on a first name basis

What is Talking Trees?

Every tree has a story, and now you can hear it straight from the source. During Fall 2025, thirteen trees on the USU Logan campus were given names and personalities. Students and the public could get to know the trees and ...

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Text With

Notepad

Write Notes To

hand holding star

Leave Wishes With

 

 

Meet the trees

 

These trees on campus may be more social than you think.

Learn about the biology and personalities of the 13 USU trees featured in the Talking Trees Program

 

Find a talker near you.

The Why Behind our Project

Talking Trees is a program with multiple goals. First, to bring forestry and environmental education to the public in a fun and approachable way. Second, texting, letters, and
wishes are personal ways that we can connect with people, and so we wanted to recreate that personal feeling with the trees. The program allowed students and the public to take a moment to pause and notice the trees and ponder - What would I text a tree? What letter would I leave for a tree? What is a wish of mine I would share with a tree? Each of the trees in the program was given a unique personality, and students (volunteers and interns) worked behind the scenes to talk as the trees' personalities and collect letters and wishes.

Two separate units on the Logan campus share a vested interest in the beauty and value of USU’s homegrown arboretum. Landscaping Operations and Maintenance (LOAM) staff oversee all aspects of caring for the campus trees. Faculty and students in the Quinney College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (QANR) use the trees as a living outdoor classroom. An obvious partnership formed to find a fun way for the university community to enjoy and learn about the trees they walk by every day. The concept of texting trees with individual personalities came from a project in a public park of Halifax, Novia Scotia. Adapted to Logan’s unique campus, the Talking Trees project included new elements, such as posting personal notes on a tree for everyone to see, and became the first of its kind in the country.

group of people  

Who Was Involved

  • Miles Becker,
  • Rayna Becker,
  • Alex Jones,
  • Coira Horton,
  • Max Smith,
  • Sariah Wallis,
  • Ruthie Huskinson,
  • Abby Hammond,
  • Avery Truman,
  • Con Thompson,
  • Cortlyn Graves,
  • Ella Stratford,
  • Elle Graves,
  • Josie Christiansen,
  • Kallise Gibby,
  • Phil Swede,
  • Zoe Curtis,
  • Phineas Billingsley,
  • McKinlee Colson

Wishes Upon a Tree

A wish that reads: To no longer be alone.
A wish that reads: My baby will be born healthy and be blessed by god. :)
A wish that reads: Logan to have a good birthday.
A wish that reads: A good, fine boy. - Isa
A wish that reads: To have enough time.
A wish that reads: I wish to be happy & make others happy & be loved.
A wish that reads: To not be so stressed.
A wish that reads: I wish to make a positive impact on the world!
A wish that reads: I wish for prosperity & peace for myself & my family!
A wish that reads: Build lasting relationships.
A wish that reads: I wish that all world suffering ends.
A wish that reads: I wish that the Lions win a Superbowl in my lifetime.
A wish that reads: I wish for a way to use my passion to help people.