ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA – Winthrop University recently was awarded a Tree Campus Higher Education Distinction by the Arbor Day Foundation for its commitment to promoting healthy trees and fostering conservation.
The Tree Campus Higher Education program honors colleges and universities for effective urban forest management, and for engaging staff and students in its conservation goals. Winthrop achieved the recognition by meeting five standards: maintaining a tree advisory committee, carrying out a campus tree-care plan, setting aside dedicated funds for its tree program, holding an Arbor Day observance and sponsoring a student service-learning project.
Around 400 campuses across the United States share in this mission. Winthrop is one of eight campuses in South Carolina that has earned this distinction.
Chris Johnson ’99, Winthrop’s sustainability coordinator, noted that trees on campus and in urban spaces can lower energy costs by providing shade cover, as well as contributing to cleaner air and water. In addition, trees improve the community’s mental and physical wellbeing, contribute to campus beauty and create shaded areas for studying and gathering.
Winthrop students have participated in several student-learning projects in the past year involving the planting of 75 trees around the campus.
Johnson added that this commitment dovetails with the city of Rock Hill’s priorities and its decades-long history of being a Tree City USA. “It is important for us to participate in this mission when the city is recognized as well,” he said. “We share this accomplishment with the city.”
Signs noting the Tree Campus Higher Education Distinction are being installed around campus ahead of Winthrop’s Earth Day celebration on April 13.
About the Arbor Day Foundation
The Arbor Day Foundation is the world’s largest membership nonprofit organization dedicated to planting trees. Its Tree Campus Higher Education program began in 2008 to encourage colleges and universities to plant trees on their campuses.
More information about the program is available at treecampushighered.org.
