Tree Campus USA is a national program created in 2008 to honor colleges and universities for effective campus forest management and for engaging staff and students in conservation goals. Toyota helped launch the program and continues its generous financial support this year.
SCC achieved the title by meeting Tree Campus USA's five standards, which include maintaining a tree advisory committee, a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures toward trees, an Arbor Day observance and student service learning projects.
“SCC has over 2,500 trees on campus,” said Dan Porter, SCC grounds supervisor. “The trees provide us with benefits we take for granted every day, from shade, water cleansing and the fresh air we breathe. The are also an important education resource to our students.”
The SCC Tree Advisory Committee is going into its fourth year, working closely with multiple organizations such as the SCC Biology Department, the Missouri Department of Conservation Urban Foresters, SCC students and the community.
“I am very humbled to be part of such a great campus community with people who understand the importance of the outside world,” said Porter. “Thank you to all the Tree Advisory Committee members, the Missouri Department of Conversation's Perry Eckhardt and SCC lab coordinator, Tracy Powers, for all the hard work that went in to making this happen.”
SCC's outreach to these organizations and the community has had a large impact by incorporating this into the curriculum, as well as service learning projects and community service projects. The SCC Tree Care Advisory Committee and affiliated organizations work hard to raise awareness of the importance of urban forests and the impending challenges trees face in the current environmental conditions.
The Arbor Day Foundation and Toyota have helped campuses throughout the country plant hundreds of thousands of trees and invested in campus forest management. More information about the program is available at arborday.org/TreeCampusUSA.
St. Charles Community College is a public, comprehensive two-year community college with associate degrees and certificate programs in the arts, business, sciences and career-technical fields. SCC provides workforce training and community-based personal and professional development as well as cultural, recreational and entertainment opportunities. For more information, visit www.stchas.edu.