Last modified: Monday, March 5, 2012
Indiana University named a 2011 Tree Campus USA by Arbor Day Foundation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 5, 2012
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Arbor Day Foundation has named Indiana University Bloomington a Tree Campus USA in honor of its commitment to effective community forestry management. This is the fourth year of recognition for Indiana University.
IU Bloomington achieved the designation by meeting the required five core standards for sustainable campus forestry: a tree advisory committee, a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures for its campus tree program, an Arbor Day observance and the sponsorship of student service-learning projects.
Student volunteers plant trees at an IU Bloomington Tree Campus USA celebration.
"Students throughout the country are passionate about sustainability and community improvement, which makes Indiana University'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, Indiana University 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."
Tree Campus USA, a national program launched in 2008 by the Arbor Day Foundation, honors colleges and universities and their leaders for promoting healthy trees and engaging students and staff in the spirit of conservation. Tree Campus USA is supported by a grant from Toyota.
"The university is pleased to once again have its efforts with regard to the stewardship of its woodland campus recognized by the Arbor Day Foundation," said Mia Williams, Indiana University landscape architect. "Honored to be among the institutions in the ADF's Tree Campus USA program's inaugural class, IU will continue to pursue excellence in its practices with regard to trees as well as its celebration of them as an integral part of the IU Bloomington campus identity."
As in previous years, IU Bloomington students will plant trees on campus this spring to celebrate Arbor Day and the Tree Campus USA designation. The date, time and location of the tree planting will be announced later.
Also, an urban forestry management class taught by Burnell Fischer, clinical professor in the IU School of Public and Environmental Affairs, is conducting case studies of streetscape trees on the campus and in three Bloomington neighborhoods during the spring semester. The case studies will use multiple methods to collect data and will include recommendations for future management of the streetscape.
During 2011, the Arbor Day Foundation and Toyota helped campuses throughout the country plant 30,000 trees, and Tree Campus USA colleges and universities have invested more than $22 million in campus forest management. More information about the Tree Campus USA program is available at www.arborday.org/TreeCampusUSA.
About the Arbor Day Foundation
The Arbor Day Foundation is a nonprofit conservation and education organization of nearly 1 million members, with the mission to inspire people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees. More information on the foundation and its programs can be found at arborday.org.
