A nurse stump/log is a dead tree in the form of a stump or log that, as it decomposes, provides nutrients and a habitat for other plants. Some definitions only include decomposing trees that are supporting other trees.

These signs fit neatly into nurse stumps along the Evergreen State College’s system of trails. Bright lettering that mimics the eye-catching colors of mushrooms spell out information about these nurse stumps. The hand painted signs lean into the rustic whimsy the defines this campus and the surrounding woods. The degradable paper and paint will age and become one with the stumps as they continue to decompose.