MVNU honored with third Tree Campus Higher Education recognition

MOUNT VERNON, Ohio (April 29, 2022) – Mount Vernon Nazarene University recently received the 2021 Tree Campus Higher Education designation from the Arbor Day Foundation for its dedication to forest management and campus beautification. This is the third consecutive year the university has been honored with this recognition.

The Tree Campus Higher Education Program honors colleges and universities for effective campus forest management and for engaging staff and students in conservation goals. MVNU received this designation by meeting Tree Campus USA’s five standards, which include maintaining a tree advisory committee, a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures for its campus tree program, an Arbor Day observance, and student service-learning project. MVNU is one of 392 recognized campuses in the United States.

“Receiving this award indicates that the beauty of our campus is the result of God’s creative spirit, and the faithfulness of caretakers and stewards of our campus resources for over fifty years,” said Darrel George, Assistant Vice President of Development and staff representative for MVNU’s Campus Tree Advisory Committee.

MVNU was presented with this designation at the 2022 Tree City USA Awards program on April 21. This event was held at Ariel Foundation Park and was hosted by the City of Mount Vernon, the Village of Gambier, MVNU, and Kenyon College.

The MVNU Campus Tree Advisory Committee exists to protect and maintain campus trees while also promoting respect and awareness for the value of trees. Efforts include the recent Arbor Day observance that included the ceremonial planting of two trees – a Fort McNair Red Horse Chestnut and a male Tri-color Ginkgo. This celebration was a part of the university’s ongoing efforts to increase shade canopy and develop sustainable campus beautification.

For more information on MVNU’s Campus Tree Advisory Committee, visit www.mvnu.edu/treecampus.

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