The University of Louisiana at Lafayette has been named a Tree Campus USA by the Arbor Day Foundation for the fourth consecutive year.
Tree Campus USA is a national program created in 2008 to recognize colleges and universities for effective campus forest management and for engaging staff and students in conservation goals.
UL Lafayette achieved the title by meeting Tree Campus USA’s standards, which include maintaining a tree advisory committee, having a campus tree-care plan, dedicating annual expenditures to trees, holding an Arbor Day observance and performing student service-learning projects.
“Students are eager to volunteer in their communities and become better stewards of the environment,” said John Rosenow, founder and chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Participating in Tree Campus USA sets a fine example for other colleges and universities, while helping to create a healthier planet for all of us.”
Toyota helped launch the program and provided financial support again this year.
“Toyota is so proud to support a program that we believe has a tremendous impact on both reducing the environmental footprint of a college campus and inspiring college students to become the conservation leaders of the future”, said Patricia Salas Pineda, group vice president of National Philanthropy and the Toyota USA Foundation.
The Arbor Day Foundation and Toyota have helped campuses throughout the country plant hundreds of thousands of trees, and Tree Campus USA colleges and universities invested $23 million in campus forest management last year. More information about the program is available at arborday.org/TreeCampusUSA.