The College of Central Florida has earned Tree Campus Higher Education recognition for its dedication to campus forestry management and environmental stewardship. This is the 13th year that CF has been recognized.
Tree Campus Higher Education is a national program of the Arbor Day Foundation that honors colleges, universities and their leaders for promoting healthy management of their campus forests and for engaging the community in environmental stewardship.
“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 well-being.”
CF met the five core standards of tree care and community engagement: establishing a campus tree advisory committee; providing a campus tree-care plan; dedicating annual expenditures on the campus tree-care plan; participating in an Arbor Day observance; and instituting a service-learning project to engage students.
“Trees on campus provide shaded green areas for studying and gathering, improving students’ mental and cognitive health and creating an appealing aesthetic,” said Elena Amesbury, CF associate professor of biological sciences. “Trees help lower energy costs and provide cleaner air and water.”
The Arbor Day Foundation launched the Tree Campus Higher Education program in 2008 and continues to honor colleges and universities for effective campus forest management and engaging students and staff in conservation goals. Currently, there are 393 campuses across the United States with this recognition.
To learn more about the Tree Campus Higher Education program, visit treecampushighered.org. For more information about CF, visit www.CF.edu.
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