UF was recognized Tuesday for its tree-friendliness.
About 30 people planted 40 native trees donated by the Arbor Day Foundation and Toyota at the University Park Arboretum near the President’s House, 2151 W. University Ave., according to a news release.
The arboretum is meant to be a collection of trees for scientific study, said Jason Smith, an associate professor in the UF School of Forest Resources & Conservation; however, the grounds have a sparse amount of trees.
“Hopefully, with the new trees, it can be used for that,” he said.
The tree planting served as the annual service-learning project, required of campuses that are considered Tree Campus USA Colleges.
“The event showed the work of the last two semesters had meaning,” Taylor Cremo said.
The 22-year-old UF sustainability and the built environment senior has spent two semesters completing a five-part application for UF to receive the recognition. Being recognized as a Tree Campus USA College means the university effectively cares for its trees, connects with off-campus communities to promote urban forests and engages students in service-learning activities, according to the Arbor Day Foundation.
However, Cremo said, UF has always been a tree-friendly campus.
“It was just about taking all the information that already existed and putting it into one application,” she said.
For example, a campus tree care plan, which UF has, is one of the required standards to qualify for the distinction.
In addition, a university must have a campus tree advisory committee, a campus tree program with dedicated annual expenditures and an Arbor Day observance.
“The largest step was figuring out where to find the right sources,” Cremo said. “And after that, it was just time and patience of putting it together.”
Taylor Cremo, 22, left, Shekinah Ellis, 21, center, and Monique Harris, 22, right, volunteer to plant trees near the President’s House as part of Tree Campus USA efforts.
