SUNY Morrisville celebrated more than trees on National Arbor Day, April 26!
It also planted roots in Gov. Kathy Hochul’s new statewide initiative to plant 25 million trees by 2033 and touted its eleventh year receiving Tree Campus Higher Education recognition.
Chosen among kickoff sites for the governor’s initiative, SUNY Morrisville faculty, staff and students were joined by Rebecca Corso, executive deputy commissioner for the New York State Department of Civil Service, in planting a Wildfire Black Gum tree in front of Marshall Hall. The tree was donated by the Department of Environmental Conservation as part of the kickoff initiative.
Corso, a 1997 alumna of the college’s individual studies program, spoke about the importance of trees and how SUNY Morrisville’s addition will help to stimulate the governor’s initiative.
“This puts us one step closer to achieving this goal,” she said.
“This Arbor Day, we’re sowing the seeds of a greener, more sustainable future for all New Yorkers while inspiring the next generation of environmental stewards across the state,” Gov. Hochul said in a news release. “New York’s 25 million tree goal is a critical component of our comprehensive efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and green our urban landscapes, one tree at a time.”
SUNY Morrisville horticulture and natural resources conservation students added to that, planting four other trees on campus on Arbor Day.
In addition to planting trees, students gave out seedlings and Arbor Day posters to celebrate the annual event.
The college’s Arbor Day festivities came on the heels of its Tree Campus Higher Education recognition, a national program which honors colleges and universities that show a commitment to encouraging students and university personnel to care for tree resources.
To be considered for the distinction, a campus must meet five standards: establish and maintain a campus tree advisory committee; create a goal-oriented campus tree-care plan; dedicate annual expenditures for a campus tree program; hold an Arbor Day observance; and conduct a student service-learning project.
SUNY Morrisville’s diverse tree collection allows for environmental, aesthetic and educational benefits. It also serves as a living laboratory for many courses, including horticulture, forestry and arboriculture, in which students engage in tree identification, planting, pruning and assessment.
The college has more than 1,300 trees on campus and 200 trees in its arboretum — with more than 70 different species. A campus nursery made way for a new array of trees, shrubs and perennials this year.
The college also planted two trees on Earth Day, which was celebrated campuswide on April 19.
SUNY Morrisville offers bachelor’s degrees in environmental & natural resources management and horticulture business management, as well as associate degrees in horticulture, environmental conservation science and natural resources conservation. A concentration in arboriculture and urban forestry provides natural resources conservation students another area in which they can specialize.
