Indiana State University Newsroom

Indiana State University has earned recognition as a Tree Campus USA for the third straight year. The Arbor Day Foundation program recognizes dedication to campus forestry management and environmental stewardship.

"Our staff in facilities management works hard not only to maintain existing trees on the ISU campus but also to plan for the future via the university's tree nursery and partnering with other organizations in Terre Haute, which is a Tree City USA," said Stephanie Krull, landscape and grounds manager. "We're proud that the university has again been recognized as a Tree Campus USA."

During the past year, ISU facilities management added to the campus's forest canopy by planting 26 large shade trees, including 17 "Sycamore" London plane trees donated by Hatari Nursery of Paris, Ill., Krull said. In addition, a 24-foot spruce donated by ISU Lab School retiree Mary Wright was transplanted to the grounds of the former Lab School, now known as University Hall. The spruce was an Arbor Day membership seedling Wright had planted in her yard 18 years ago.

Also during the past year, 12 holly trees were transplanted from the ISU tree nursery to Ivy Tech Community College-Wabash Valley. The project was set in motion by Friends of the Arboretum needing to create more space at the ISU tree nursery, where it has maintained more than 150 trees in various stages of growth.

"Indiana State is making a positive impact on its community that will last for decades," said John Rosenow, chief executive and founder of the Arbor Day Foundation. "One goal of the Tree Campus USA program is to help create healthier communities for its citizens through the planting of trees, and the city of Terre Haute will certainly benefit from Indiana State's commitment."

Tree Campus USA is a national program that honors colleges and universities and their leaders for promoting healthy management of their campus forests and for engaging the community in environmental stewardship. Tree Campus USA is supported by a grant from Toyota.

Indiana State met the five core standards of tree care and community engagement in order to receive Tree Campus USA status. The standards are: establish a campus tree advisory committee; evidence of a campus tree-care plan; verification of dedicated annual expenditures on the campus tree-care plan; involvement in an Arbor Day observance; and the institution of a service-learning project aimed at engaging the student body.

"We're currently seeking students who care about campus trees to fill at least two student positions on our campus Tree Advisory Board," Krull said. "The board meets just four times a year and service on the advisory board would be a great experience for students to add to their resume."

Students interested in serving may contact Krull at 812-237-8160 or steph.krull@indstate.edu.

The Arbor Day Foundation launched Tree Campus USA in the fall of 2008 by planting trees at nine college campuses throughout the United States. Indiana State was among 29 colleges and universities to receive the recognition in the program's first year and was the first Tree Campus institution in Indiana.

More information about the Tree Campus USA is available at http://www.arborday.org/TreeCampusUSA.

Photo: http://isuphoto.smugmug.com/Other/Media-Services/Generic-Media-Release-Shots/646324928dsc0722-as-smart/910028475_ebHae-L.jpg - Trees such as these outside the John T. Myers Technology Center are plentiful across the Indiana State University campus. The university has been recognized for the third straight year as a Tree Campus USA.

Contact: Stephanie Krull, landscape and grounds manager, Facilities Management Department, Indiana State University, 812-237-8160 or steph.krull@indstate.edu.