April 25, 2018
K-State celebrates Arbor Day, promotes campus trees
Since 2013, K-State has been recognized as a Tree Campus USA. Numerous events this week are planned in support of this honor.
In Kansas, Arbor Day is celebrated the last Friday in April. Arboriculture students will share information about the Emerald Ash Borer, or EAB, and general tree care from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Thursday, April 26, in The Quad near the historic green ash, and from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Friday, April 27, on Bosco Plaza.
At the Friday information session, students will give away free Chinkapin Oak, Quercus muehlenbergii, tree whips when you learn about the Emerald ash borer. Chinkapin Oak is native to the Midwest, and once established, performs well on dry and alkaline soils. A tree whip is an unbranched, young tree seedlings approximately one to three feet in height and two to three years old. Tree Campus-Kansas State T-shirts will be available for purchase to fund trees for the K-State Manhattan campus. These events are made possible by SGA Green Action Grant.
In addition, to these educational opportunities, arboriculture students will be planting six trees in strategically planned locations. Tree planting dates and locations are:
- 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 25, on Ackert Hall lawn across from Gen. Richard B. Myers Hall.
A seven-son flower tree, Heptacodium miconioides, was donated by Cameron Rees, Skinner Garden Store. - 10:30 a.m. Thursday, April 26, east side of Dole Hall.
A lacebark Elm, Ulmus parvifolia, is funded by the SGA Green Action Grant. - 3 p.m. Thursday, April 26, west lawn area of Ackert Hall.
An autumn Gold, Ginkgo biloba, is funded by SGA Green Action Grant. - 10:30 a.m. Friday, April 27, southeast corner of Seaton Hall.
A flowering dogwood, Cornus florida, is in honor of Provost April Mason who is retiring in June and is funded by Green Action Grant. - 1 p.m. Friday, April 27, west of Gen. Richard B. Myers Hall.
A paper birch, Betula papyrifera, is in memory of Chris Rea, a 2014 K-State graduate, and this tree was donated by Tory Swope, KAT Nurseries.
The campus community is welcome to observe any of the tree planting and learn how to correctly plant a tree.
Tree Campus USA is a national program sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation honoring college campuses for endorsing appropriate tree care practices while promoting the numerous benefits of trees to a sustainable world. To obtain and maintain this distinction, K-State must meet the required five core standards for sustainable campus forestry; including a tree advisory committee with student representation, evidence of a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures for campus trees, an Arbor Day observance event, and the sponsorship of student service-learning projects.
Student involvement has been the driving force for the increased awareness, appreciation and promotion of our campus trees. Lack of understanding can cause misunderstanding, so arboricultural students want to educate the campus community of the many benefits of trees and why they need to be preserved.