The Arbor Day Foundation is the world’s largest membership nonprofit organization dedicated to planting trees. Its Tree Campus Higher Education program began in 2008 to encourage colleges and universities to plant trees on their campuses.
Trees on campus and in urban spaces can lower energy costs by providing shade cover, cleaner air and water, and green spaces for students and faculty. In addition, trees improve students’ mental and cognitive health, provide an appealing aesthetic for campuses, and create shaded areas for studying and gathering.
“Trees not only play a vital role in the environment but also in our daily lives,” said Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Having trees on college and university campuses is a great way to show a commitment to students and faculty’s overall wellbeing.”
The Tree Campus Higher Education program honors colleges and universities for effective campus forest management and engaging staff and students in conservation goals. IU Columbus achieved the distinction by meeting Tree Campus Higher Education’s five standards, including maintaining a tree advisory committee, a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures for its campus tree program, an Arbor Day observance, and student service-learning project. Currently, there are 411 campuses across the United States with this recognition.
In April 2023, IU Columbus celebrated Arbor Day with great enthusiasm, featuring the planting of three dogwood and two redbud trees. We enhanced the eco-friendliness of the event by utilizing campus compost to nourish the soil around these newly planted trees. The celebration was inclusive, reaching out to both the students and community, who received 50 hybrid willow starter trees. Of which, during May 2023, the student organization L.O.V.E (Latino-American Organization of Volunteers in Education) engaged in community outreach by distributing 30 starter trees at Mill Race Park.
As part of their service learning, our biology students took on the responsibility of spreading awareness about Tree Campus Higher Education and Arbor Day by showcasing our own campus trees with informational posters about 14 of the tree species on the IU Columbus campus.
Moreover, our annual student literary magazine/book, “Talking Leaves,” showcased discussions and specifics about being a Tree Campus Higher Education. Poetic expressions honoring trees were presented and recited during the October 2023 celebration.
“At IU Columbus, we deeply value the significant role of trees in enriching our environment and strengthening our community. This recognition from the Arbor Day Foundation reinforces our dedication to fostering a sustainable and dynamic campus environment that serves all members of our community. Together, we are cultivating not just trees, but a greener, healthier future for our campus community,” expressed Naomi Cohenour, Executive Director, Office of Administration and Finance, who also manages Tree Campus Higher Education and Sustainability initiatives at IU Columbus.
More information about the program is available at treecampushighered.org.
About the Arbor Day Foundation
Founded in 1972, the Arbor Day Foundation is the world’s largest membership nonprofit organization dedicated to planting trees. With a focus in communities and forests of greatest need, the Foundation — alongside its more than 1 million members, supporters and valued partners — has helped to plant nearly 500 million trees in more than 50 countries. Guided by its mission to inspire people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees, the Arbor Day Foundation is committed to unlocking the power of trees to help solve critical issues facing people and the planet. Learn more about the impact of the Arbor Day Foundation at arborday.org.