Recently, Xavier University of Louisiana was honored with 2021 Tree Campus Higher Education recognition by the Arbor Day Foundation for its commitment to effective urban forest management. Xavier earned this distinction through its dedication to including green spaces on campus to benefit students.   

The Tree Campus Higher Education program began in 2008 to encourage colleges and universities to plant trees on their campuses. 

The Tree Campus Higher Education program honors colleges and universities for effective campus forest management and engaging staff and students in conservation goals. Xavier achieved the distinction by meeting Tree Campus Higher Education’s five standards, including maintaining a tree advisory committee, a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures for its campus tree program, an Arbor Day observance, and a student service-learning project. Currently, there are 393 campuses across the United States with this recognition. 

As a university dedicated to promoting a more just and humane society, Xavier continues to improve and encourage an eco-friendlier impact on the surrounding community. Though Xavierites have been active in planting and environmental activism, the university joined the Tree Campus Higher Education program last year.  

“The tree campus award recognizes all the work that the Xavier community has done over the years to protect and preserve the trees on campus,” said Helena Robinson, director of sustainability and quality control at Xavier. “It shows people that their efforts to cultivate campus canopy cover has not gone unnoticed, and is in fact, central to the built environment and student experience at Xavier.” 

Founded in 1972, The Arbor Day Foundation is currently the world’s largest nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees. With more than one million members, supporters and valued partners, almost 500 million Arbor Day Foundation trees have been planted in neighborhoods, communities, cities and forests worldwide.  

As one of the world’s largest operating conservation foundations, the Arbor Day Foundation, through its members, partners and programs, educates and engages stakeholders and communities across the globe to involve themselves in its mission of planting, nurturing and celebrating trees. More information is available at arborday.org 

Trees on campus and in urban spaces can lower energy costs by providing shade cover, cleaner air and water, and green spaces for students and faculty. In addition, trees improve students’ mental and cognitive health, provide an appealing aesthetic for campuses, and create shaded areas for studying and gathering. 

“Trees not only play a vital role in the environment but also in our daily lives,” said Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Having trees on college and university campuses is a great way to show a commitment to students and faculty’s overall wellbeing.” 

More information about the program is available at treecampushighered.org.