SUNY Jamestown Community College has received the Tree Campus USA designation from the National Arbor Day Foundation for the 14th consecutive year.
Tree Campus USA is a national program that was created in 2008 to honor colleges and universities for effective campus forest management, and engaging staff and students in conservation goals. JCC received its first designation in 2009 and was the first community college in New York to achieve this designation.
“We are proud of our efforts to care for the earth while creating a campus that can improve the overall wellbeing of its community,” said Janis Bowman, professor of Biology and coordinator of Environmental Science at JCC.
Tree Campuses must plant at least one tree annually for Arbor Day; as well as create and update a tree management plan, maintain a tree committee, and a designated budget for trees and their maintenance. Student involvement through service learning projects or internships is also required.
JCC plants several trees each year to increase the tree canopy, and the sustainable services the trees provide. Other goals include increasing tree diversity, climate resiliency, and native species in the college arboretum.
According to the Arbor Day Foundation, 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. Shaded areas for studying and gathering make campuses more visually appealing, and trees have been shown to improve students’ mental and cognitive health.
“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 the general wellness of both students and faculty.”
The college will hold its celebratory tree planting at 12:30 p.m. on May 4 on the Jamestown Campus. Attendees should gather pondside and be prepared to walk to the planting site. The event is sponsored by the JCC Tree Committee and Sustainability Committee, and is free and open to the public.