The blue trees on Turlington Plaza are fading away as the paint nears the end of its life expectancy, and students have taken notice.
Although the natural bark peeking through the blue paint looks to some like the trees are now orange and blue, to others, the trees just look like they haven’t been maintained.
“It became a waste of money because it wasn’t kept up,” said Steven Turner, a 22-year-old UF food science and human nutrition senior.
However, UF spokesman Steve Orlando said the paint will chip away.
“The paint was intended to last six to 12 months,” Orlando said. “We’re now at the outer edge of the time frame. It is lasting longer than anticipated.”
Some students were upset that the blue trees, which were intended to raise awareness for deforestation, in front of the Reitz Union were removed for construction.
“You shouldn’t take down trees for deforestation,” said Brittany Weintraut, an 18-year-old UF health science freshman. “It shows we care a little bit, but not fullheartedly care.”
But Orlando said the artist was aware that the trees would be removed for the construction and painted them anyway.
The trees will be replaced after the construction, Orlando said.
“The goal of raising awareness was accomplished, and they will be replaced,” he said.
A version of this story ran on page 1 on 9/11/2013 under the headline "Though chipping, blue trees continue conversation"
The environmentally friendly blue paint chips off the trees on Turlington Plaza on Tuesday afternoon. It has been coming off for months.
Artist Konstantin Dimopoulos paints the trees on Turlington Plaza blue with a natural water-based pigment Oct. 16, 2012.
