I saw this topic of discussion just outside Dorman Hall. These oak trees were planted within the last couple years during the creation of the Junction. I've seen this practice done several times on campus. It is interesting to me because it involves landscaping and university money.
From a academic point of view we call these 'mulch volcanoes.' This improper way of mulching comes about after a couple of years of adding mulch. Each year when new mulch is added, the old mulch is left in place and new mulch is put on top. After a couple years of doing this, you get enough for a small burial ground.
This is bad for a tree from an agronomic standpoint because the mulch essentially chokes the roots. Roots require oxygen to function and this severely limits aerobic conditions in the soil. A large mulch pile is a huge producer of heat making a little microclimate around the tree trunk, much like a compost pile. The large amount of decomposing material and warm temperatures is also very attractive to insects to make their homes. Some of which could be harmful to the trees or tailgaters.
Its also bad from an economic point of view because its a waste of money. Each year the pile gets bigger requiring more mulch to cover it, and if the tree dies you're out a lot of money.
Not a huge deal as far as waste, so that why I threw in the plant physiology lesson for free.
