April 3, 2017
Wheaton College was recently honored with a 2016 Tree Campus USA® recognition by the Arbor Day Foundation. The national recognition honors colleges and universities for effective campus forest management and for engaging staff and students in conservation goals.
“Students are eager to volunteer in their communities and become better stewards of the environment,” said Matt Harris, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Participating in Tree Campus USA sets a fine example for other colleges and universities, while helping to create a healthier planet for us all.”
To achieve the title, a college must maintain a tree advisory committee and a campus tree-care plan, dedicate resources for its campus tree program, hold an Arbor Day observance and lead a student service-learning project. Fewer than 300 campuses in the U.S. have achieved the designation.
“Being recognized in this way sets us apart from other campuses,” says Landscape Operations Manager Theresa Kyriazes. “Our goal is to draw attention to God and his amazing gift of creation through our work, and this recognition helps us do that. It’s a great accomplishment by our tree advisory committee.”
Wheaton College’s 113-acre main campus is home to 1300 trees and more than 100 species. Kyriazes says the College is in the process of cataloging and labeling its trees in an effort to have the campus recognized as an arboretum.
The College will celebrate the Tree Campus USA® recognition through a special dedication ceremony on the front lawn of Blanchard Hall at 3:30 p.m. on Arbor Day, April 28. Blanchard Hall is located at 501 College Ave. in Wheaton. The ceremony, which is free and open to the public, will include a tree-planting and distribution of 100 saplings to members of the community.