ECU recognized as 2017 Tree Campus USA

East Carolina University was recognized in April as a 2017 Tree Campus USA.
Tree Campus USA, a national program launched in 2008 by the Arbor Day Foundation, honors colleges and universities and their leaders for promoting healthy trees and engaging students and staff in the spirit of conservation.
To obtain this distinction, ECU met the five core standards for effective campus forest management including 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 and the sponsorship of student service-learning projects.
ECU is one of 12 colleges/universities in the state to receive the designation, according to the Tree Campus USA website. Of the 12, five are University of North Carolina system campuses.
“Your entire campus community should be proud of your sustained commitment to environmental stewardship,” Dan Lambe, president of the Arbor Day Foundation, said in a letter to Bill Bagnell, associate vice chancellor for campus operations.
The letter, which announced the recognition, said ECU has shown its commitment to protecting and preserving valuable tree resources and will reap their benefits for generations of students to come.
Bagnell said the designation as a Tree Campus USA would not have happened without the leadership of John Gill, assistant director of grounds maintenance and landscape architect, and Gene Stand, grounds supervisor and certified arborist.
For more information about the program, visit: https://www.arborday.org/programs/treecampususa/.