Purdue receives Tree Campus USA award at Earth Week tree planting

Volunteers plant a shrub during the Earth Week tree planting event on Thursday (April 20) at Purdue's Horticulture Park. (Photo by Physical Facilities Communications) Download image

Purdue received its eighth consecutive Tree Campus USA award at the Earth Week/Arbor Day tree planting activity Thursday (April 20).

This award is given to campuses that meet the following five standards outlined by the Arbor Day Foundation: maintaining a tree advisory committee, utilizing a campus tree-care plan, dedicating annual expenditures toward trees, holding an Arbor Day observance and organizing student service-learning projects.

“Receiving the Tree Campus USA award for the eighth straight year is an honor,” says Michael Gulich, director of campus master planning and sustainability. “Holding this ceremony in conjunction with the Earth Week tree planting is a great way to highlight our continuous planting and tree-care efforts.”

The award was presented to university representatives during a ceremony Thursday morning at the parking lot just east of Horticulture Park off of McCormick Road. Following the presentation, the Grounds department demonstrated the proper way to plant a tree, and in conjunction with the Horticulture and Landscape Architecture Department, a group of pre-registered volunteers planted trees and shrubs in Horticulture Park.

“Nearly 70 trees and shrubs of over 25 varieties, which have been growing under the care of the Purdue Arboretum for the last few years, were planted at this event,” says Paul Siciliano, professor of horticulture and landscape architecture and director of the Purdue Arboretum. “All are native varieties, some of which include a Northern Pecan, a Nannyberry Viburnum, a Shellbark Hickory, some Balsam Poplars and several purple-flowering raspberries, just to name a few.”

Purdue’s West Lafayette campus is home to nearly 11,000 trees of more than 400 different varieties. 

Sources: Michael Gulich, director of campus master planning and sustainability, 765-494-7030

Paul Siciliano, professor of horticulture and landscape architecture and director of the Purdue Arboretum, 765-494-1346