The initiative of one Southeast Campus staffer has resulted in the Arlington campus earning national recognition. The Arbor Day Foundation designated SE as a 2009 “Tree Campus USA College” — only the third college or university in the state of Texas to receive the recognition.
The honor recognizes SE’s dedication to campus forestry management. It’s all because of Southeast Grounds Supervisor Todd Morris.
“With our focus on service and the districtwide initiative to decrease our carbon footprint, the National Arbor Day Foundation Tree Campus USA Program seemed like a natural fit to engage our students, faculty and staff,” said Morris. “This program benefited us in 2009 and we hope will establish a focus for years to come.”
Tree Campus USA is a national program launched in 2008 by the Arbor Day Foundation and is supported by a grant from Toyota. It honors colleges and universities as well as campus and community leaders for promoting healthy urban forest management and engaging the campus community in environmental stewardship.
To earn the Tree Campus USA status, Southeast met the following standards: establishing a campus tree advisory committee; providing evidence of a campus tree-care plan; verifying dedicated annual expenditures on the tree-care plan; participating in an Arbor Day observance; and instituting a service-learning project aimed at engaging the student body.