University receives seventh Tree Campus USA recognition
Virginia Tech’s effort to increase the number of healthy trees on campus has been recognized for the seventh consecutive year by the Arbor Day Foundation.
Virginia Tech achieved Tree Campus USA recognition by meeting five national standards, which include maintaining a tree advisory committee, a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures toward trees, an Arbor Day observance and student service-learning projects.
In 2014, students planted 58 new trees on campus including Chinese pistachios, elms, oaks, and three blight resistant American chestnuts. Since 2007, students have planted nearly 500 new trees on campus.
"Virginia Tech is committed to increasing the number of trees on campus. In addition, we have a strong tree-care plan and actively nurture healthy growth," said Matthew Gart, landscape architect for the Office of University Planning.
Tree Campus USA is a national program created in 2008 by the Arbor Day Foundation to honor colleges and universities for effective campus forest management and for engaging staff and students in conservation goals.
The Arbor Day Foundation is a conservation and education organization with the mission to inspire people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees.
Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech takes a hands-on, engaging approach to education, preparing scholars to be leaders in their fields and communities. As the commonwealth’s most comprehensive university and its leading research institution, Virginia Tech offers 240 undergraduate and graduate degree programs to more than 31,000 students and manages a research portfolio of $513 million. The university fulfills its land-grant mission of transforming knowledge to practice through technological leadership and by fueling economic growth and job creation locally, regionally, and across Virginia.
