Just in time for spring, TCU was designated a 2020 Tree Campus Higher Learning. This is the fifth year the campus has received such a recognition. Awarded by the Arbor Day Foundation, the program was previously called Tree Campus USA.
The designation — obtained through the work of TCU’s Campus Tree Advisory Committee — demonstrates the university’s commitment to effectively manage trees, develop connectivity with communities beyond campus to foster urban forests and engage students in service-learning opportunities centered on forestry efforts.
The program launched in 2008 to honor colleges and universities and their leaders for promoting healthy trees and engaging students and staff in the spirit of conservation. To obtain this distinction, TCU must meet the five core standards for sustainable campus forestry:
- Establishment of a campus tree advisory committee
- Evidence of a campus tree-care plan
- Dedicated annual expenditures for its campus tree program
- An Arbor Day observation (optional in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic)
- Sponsorship of student service-learning projects
For the unique circumstances surrounding 2020, TCU hosted a virtual Texas Arbor Day Trivia event in November.
TCU values its diverse species of trees and its sustained commitment to maintaining and restoring campus ecosystems. Director of Facilities Operations, Dick Bryan, and his team maintain and protect approximately 3,200 trees.