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Students planting trees

Conservation Efforts Earn NEOMED National Recognition

NEOMED has earned Tree Campus USA distinction from the national Arbor Day Foundation for its work to promote healthy trees and engage the campus community on conservation issues.

“Communities worldwide are facing issues with air quality, water resources, personal health and well-being, and energy use,” said Lauren Weyers, program coordinator for the Arbor Day Foundation. “NEOMED is stepping up to do its part. As a result of your commitment to effective urban forest management, you are helping to provide a solution to these global challenges.”

Check out the changes

What visible changes are there on campus already?

Frontier Elms and Autumn Blaze Maple trees can now be found growing in the spots formerly occupied by dead or dying trees on campus.

Two Chanticleer Pear trees were planted in memory of Nicholas (Nick) Farkash and Gary Reed, campus operations employees who unexpectedly passed away in 2017.

Proving our case

To obtain the Tree Campus USA distinction, NEOMED has met the five core standards for sustainable campus forestry required by the Arbor Day Foundation:

  • establishment of a tree advisory committee
  • evidence of a campus tree-care plan
  • dedicated annual expenditures for its campus tree program
  • an Arbor Day observance
  • the sponsorship of student service-learning projects.

The efforts to gain Tree City USA status have been led by Dale Hluch, director of campus operations at NEOMED, who formed a committee of members from throughout the University.