'Tree Campus' designation celebrated, trees planted

For the ninth year, Penn College has received notification of its Tree Campus Higher Education designation, and students celebrated by planting trees (Japanese snowbell and Snow Fountain weeping cherry) at the college's Schneebeli Earth Science Center in honor of Arbor Day.

Tree Campus Higher Education was founded in 2008 to foster a tradition of excellence and recognize green colleges and universities. Standards for recognition include having a campus tree advisory committee, a campus tree care plan, dedicated annual expenditures, observing Arbor Day and creating a service-learning project aimed at engaging the student body. In addition to highlighting the physical and mental health benefits of green spaces, the Tree Campus program seeks to support colleges and universities in growing their community forests and in educating the next generation on the importance of caring for the environment.

At Penn College, this green initiative is a collaborative effort of the landscape/plant production technology and forest technology majors and the college’s General Services horticulturists and foresters. The college offers associate of applied science degrees in both disciplines.