Athens, Ga. – The University of Georgia has repeated its designation as a Tree Campus USA, an honor given by the Arbor Day Foundation to universities and colleges nationwide that show a commitment to effective community forestry management. UGA received its first recognition last year.
From the pecan trees on South Campus to the chestnut, willow and scarlet oaks on North Campus, UGA has trees by the thousands. A tree-mapping project completed by the University Architects office in the past few years found more than 6,000 trees on campus.
“This is one of America’s most beautiful university campuses, and the tree canopy is one of the features that makes it so,” said UGA President Michael F. Adams. “We have made a concerted effort to build in more green space as part of the master plan and have been able to plant many new trees across campus to ensure that the canopy will be with us for decades. I am proud that UGA has once again received this designation.”
UGA’s official recognition is as a 2011 Tree Campus USA. To receive the designation, the university met the Arbor Day Foundation’s five core standards for sustainable campus forestry. The university has a tree advisory committee, a campus tree-care plan, annual expenditures dedicated for a campus tree program, an Arbor Day observance and sponsorship of student service-learning projects.
“Students throughout the country are passionate about sustainability and community improvement, which makes Georgia’s emphasis on well-maintained and healthy trees so important,” said John Rosenow, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “By achieving Tree Campus USA recognition, the University of Georgia will continue to set an example for other colleges and universities and give students a chance to give back to both their campus community and the community at large.”
The Select Sustainable Tree Trust, in partnership with UGA, has added 550 shade trees to UGA’s main campus since 2009. The trust has pledged to provide UGA with between 700 and 1,000 new trees.
The main trees on UGA’s campus are mapped for easy identification with the help of the UGA Campus Arboretum Walking Tour of Trees. The campus walking maps were designed by the horticulture department in the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. For more information, see http://www.hort.uga.edu/research/arboretum/.
The national Tree Campus USA program was launched in 2008 when the Arbor Day Foundation planted trees at nine college campuses and designated 29 schools as tree campuses.
In 2011, 30,000 trees were added to college and university campuses nationwide thanks to the Arbor Day Foundation and Toyota, which supports the Tree Campus USA through a grant. Tree Campus USA institutions have invested more than $22 million in campus forest management.
For more information on the Tree Campus USA program, see www.arborday.org/TreeCampusUSA.