Tree Campus USA

Standard 1 – Campus Tree Advisory Committee

This committee must include a representative from each of the following audience:

Students

  • Victoria Yang
  • Matthew Chilton
  • Ashley Dow

Faculty

  • Dr. Claudia Jolls, Biology
  • Dr. Carol Goodwillie, Biology

Facility Management

  • Bill Bagnell, AVC for Campus Operations
  • John Gill, Director of Grounds Services
  • Gene Stano, Supervisor of Grounds Services
  • Chad Carwein, University Sustainability Manager

Community Member

  • Kevin Heifferon, City of Greenville Arborist and Superintendent of Building and Grounds

Standard 2 – Campus Tree Care Plan

The ECU Campus Tree Care Plan (PDF) includes:

  1. Clearly stated purpose.
  2. Responsible authority/department – who enforces the Campus Tree Care Plan.
  3. Establishment of a Campus Tree Advisory Committee, terms of the representatives, and role committee plays.
  4. Campus tree care policies for planting, landscaping, maintenance and removal including establishing and updating a list of recommended and prohibited species; managing for catastrophic events.
  5. Protection and Preservation policies and procedures – include process for implementing tree protection plan including step-by-step process that every project must follow including construction and trenching.
  6. Goals and Targets – develop at least one goal and target for your Campus Tree Plan. These could include (but are not limited to) tree canopy target, development of a link between the Campus Tree Plan and other green initiatives on campus or in the community; completion of a campus-wide tree inventory, etc. Include how the goal will be measured.
  7. Tree damage assessment – enforcement, penalties, and appeals.
  8. Prohibited practices.
  9. Definitions of terminology related to campus trees.
  10. Communication strategy – how the campus tree care plan will be communicated to the college community and contractors to heighten awareness about policies and procedures as well as the goals of the institution.

Standard 3 – Campus Tree Program with Dedicated Annual Expenditures

Expenditures could include, but are not limited to:

  • Cost of trees purchased
  • Labor, equipment and supplies for tree planting, maintenance (pruning, watering, fertilization, mulching, competition control, etc.) and removal, if needed
  • Value of volunteer labor and other contributions from student or civic organizations
  • Staff time dedicated to campus forest planning, tree care contractors, public education, professional training, campus tree inventory, and association memberships

Standard 4 – Arbor Day Observance

An Arbor Day observance provides a golden opportunity to educate the campus community on the benefits of the trees on their campus property and in the community. The Arbor Day observance can be on the campus or held in conjunction with the community where the campus is located. Your observance may be held at an appropriate time for your campus as long as it is related to trees in some way.

Standard 5 – Service Learning Project

ECU met this standard through the following tree planting events on campus:

  • Earth Week Tree Planting (4/20/16)
  • ReLeaf Community Tree Day (3/18/17)
  • Earth Week Tree Planting (4/21/17)
  • Earth Week Tree Planting (4/20/18)
  • Biology Class Tree Planting at Town Creek Culvert (11/28/18)
  • Earth Week Tree Planting (4/12/19)