BEMIDJI — The effort to replant roughly 200 trees on the Bemidji State campus spans generations.

After the June 21 derecho toppled around 9 million trees in the Bemidji area, several facets of the community mobilized to pick up the pieces and restore the natural beauty that had been taken away.

At BSU, alumni from across several decades chipped in wherever they could — whether by assisting with clean-up or making monetary donations.

Given the scale of the derecho’s effects, efforts to restore the campus to its former glory would require collective action.

“There was a strong desire for campus to come together to replant the trees, but we didn’t have the funds for it,” BSU Alumni and Foundation Executive Director and Vice President of University Advancement Allyssa Joseph said. “In

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