By Rema Atiya/se news editor
SE Campus received recognition from the Arbor Day Foundation as a 2009 Tree Campus USA College for striving to keep itself environmentally healthy.
According to the Arbor Day Foundation Web site, the campus, only the third Texas college to receive the award, won because of its dedication to the healthy environment and forestry management.
“The Tree Campus USA program will have a long-lasting impact at Tarrant County College SE Campus as it engages college students and local citizens to plant trees and create healthier communities for people to enjoy for decades to come,” said John Rosenow, the foundation’s chief executive, in a press release announcing the award.
For acceptance into this program, SE Campus had to pass five standards set by the Arbor Day Foundation: a campus tree advisory committee, a campus tree care plan, a campus tree program with dedicated annual expenditures, an Arbor Day Observance to inform the community about trees on the campus and a service learning project to inform the community of the program’s events.
“This program is wonderful,” said Michael Cinatl, SE director of dual credit, career and campus services. “It offers an opportunity for faculty, students, clubs and student services to get behind a campuswide project that will have impact for years to come.”
Not only will the SE Campus community work together on this project, but it will also work with Arlington and its LEAF Project to ensure the campus has the best program of any school, Cinatl said.
With help from the LEAF program, the campus will receive 100 10-gallon trees to plant on and around the campus.
“SE Campus is receiving more trees than any other school because it is their first year participating in the program,” said Matthew Churches, Arlington’s forester.
This program has had such a big impact on SE Campus that curriculum related to this project will be added into biology, geology, geography and architecture so students can learn the different kinds of trees and learn to take care of the SE Campus environment.
The campus’ Arbor Day event on Feb. 15 will celebrate the 100 new additions and inform the community of the project. It is only one of several upcoming events for this program. The campus will sponsor speakers and a poster contest and incorporate its annual Chalk-it-Up art contest into the events following the Arbor Day Celebration.
Cinatl said the program will not only create new learning materials for the students but also create “an environmentally sound plan for our campus’ outside look and appeal.”
