Many have heard of Dr. Suess’s character the Lorax, but they may not have heard of UNC’s very own Lorax, Thomas Bythell.
Bythell has been the University arborist for 20 years, caring for campus trees as well as forests on the University’s non-campus land. His domain includes University Lake and the Carolina North Forest.
Bythell also oversees campus recycling, irrigation and pest management. For Bythell, his job is all about the trees and the students.
"I kind of absorb the energy of the campus,” he said. "It keeps me young.”
As the trees’ steward, Bythell ensures that the landscape and community live in harmony. His work has most recently included relocating a bee hive near the Bell Tower walkway and setting up a hammock park on South Campus to uphold the "no tree use" policy that protects the trees from damage.
Bythell engages with students and the community through organizations such as Edible Campus, the Carolina Campus Community Garden, the environmental honors fraternity Epsilon Eta, UNC courses and inventorying trees with students.
"Nothing happens with a big tree that I don’t know about,” Bythell said.
Anna Wu, the associate vice chancellor for facilities services, said Bythell is key to the campus's success in maintaining its trees and resources, especially because of the importance trees have to Chapel Hill and the University.
"Well, (trees are) part of our campus's DNA,” Wu said.
