By the Campus Arboretum Committee.
Last year Colorado State University’s (CSU) main campus was designated as an ArbNet Level III arboretum. CSU’s commitment to trees began 140 years ago with the first mass planting on campus in spring 1881. Many of those trees are still alive on campus today, including some of the American elms lining the center of the Oval.
Celebrating Earth Week and Arbor Day
In honor of Earth Week and Arbor Day, join CSU in recognizing the legacy of our Campus Arboretum, acknowledging the generations of students and employees who have planted and cared for trees—and those who will steward CSU’s trees for the next generation. Annually, CSU students have volunteered to plant trees for Arbor Day with guidance from ISA Certified Arborists through the Tree Campus Higher Education program, which helps colleges and universities establish and sustain healthy community forests. In the state of Colorado, local Tree City USA recognitions are facilitated through the Colorado State Forest Service, a service and outreach agency under the Warner College of Natural Resources.
CSU Facilities Management continues this tradition of planting trees for the tenth year in a row. In lieu of volunteer participation due to the pandemic, the Campus Arboretum Committee created a video to share with the CSU community, reflecting on CSU’s intentional efforts to establish better species diversity and the value that trees bring to our community. Trees offer a myriad of benefits, and planting diverse tree species creates a healthier and more environmentally sound campus community. By actively caring for our campus forest we are working to make it more resilient to invasive pests, climate change, and severe weather events.
Learn More about the Campus Arboretum with the Campus Tree Tour
CSU’s Campus Tree Tour is another way to take in the inheritance of trees that are generations older than those of us who come to campus today. This self-guided tour of 15 signature trees features three notable campus tree collections: The Oval, Sherwood Forest and the Heritage Arboretum. Visit virtually through the CSU interactive map (choose the Tours tab or download it here) or take in the beauty of the trees in person throughout the different seasons. Phase two of the Tour is in development and will be implemented later this summer. It will include an interactive component with QR codes that link to brief videos speaking to the featured trees, with in-person guided tours once the community can gather again.
Interested in learning some fun tree facts? Follow CSU Extension and the Colorado State Forest Service on social media for interesting daily tidbits!