Athens State University has received the honor of being recognized by Tree Campus USA for the year 2020 by promoting healthy trees and engaging students and staff in forestry conservation efforts. Its campus is one of 13 college campuses across Alabama to meet the qualifications for this recognition.
Tree Campus USA is a national program founded by the Arbor Day Foundation that honors college and university campuses that effectively manage the trees on their campus, connect with the community to promote healthy urban forest management, and have a student body that is actively involved in environmental stewardship.
To earn this recognition, Athens State University met the organization’s five core standards for effective campus forest management:
- A Campus Tree Advisory Committee comprised of students, faculty, facility management, and members of the local community was created.
- A Campus Tree Care Plan that provided direction for planting, maintaining, and removing campus trees as well as educate the community about the importance of the campus forest and the protection and maintenance of trees was developed.
- Annual expenditures were dedicated to the Campus Tree Program.
- An Arbor Day Observance event was held.
- Service Learning Projects related to trees and forestry were performed.