EOU to Hold Tree Planting in Celebration of Arbor Day
By Garrett Christensen on Thursday, April 27th, 2023 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
LA GRANDE – (Release from Eastern Oregon University) On Arbor Day, Friday, April 28 at 9 a.m. Eastern Oregon University will celebrate by planting trees between North Hall and South Hall, a tradition of beautifying the campus that has been honored since being recognized as a Tree Campus Higher Education Institution® from the Arbor Day Foundation.
Twelve Pinus ponderosa, commonly ref. to as ponderosa pine, will be planted this year in the courtyard near the dorms.
“Ponderosa pines are native to our area and should perform well in the environment chosen,” Arborist David Yoder said. “The Ponderosa Pine is really one of the most beloved trees in the west and improves the aesthetic of the campus year round. We’re proud to be recognized by the Arbor Day Foundation for our work in beautifying the campus.”
EOU was certified as an official Tree Campus USA university on January 9, 2016, and has met annual recertification standards since that time.
In 2019 the university campus grounds crew members choose to plant a Friendship Tree, grown from a ginkgo seed that survived the nuclear blast in Hiroshima.
The tree bears a tag with a QR code that leads viewers to the story of its significance. Eight universities and colleges in Oregon have been recognized by the Arbor Day Foundation.
The Tree Campus USA designation also aligns with EOU’s strategic goals to provide and maintain a campus that promotes a thriving university community. Created in 2008 to honor colleges and universities for effective campus forest management, the national program encourages staff and students to engage in conservation projects.
