The Tree Campus USA Program at UAM

The University of Arkansas at Monticello has achieved Tree Campus USA status each year since 2010, and was the first university in the state to receive the designation. With the only college of forestry in Arkansas, UAM is proud to participate in the national Tree Campus USA program, an initiative to foster the development of the next generation of tree stewards. 

The program is designed to award national recognition to college campuses and the leaders of their surrounding communities for promoting healthy urban forest management and engaging the campus community in environmental stewardship. Since the program’s inception in 2008, more than 225 college and university campuses have reached Tree Campus USA status nationally.

UAM joins the City of Monticello as being recognized for having an urban forestry and tree care program. Monticello has been a Tree City USA since 2008. Both the Tree Campus USA and Tree City USA programs are sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation. The national Tree City USA program began as a 1976 Bicentennial project, and has recognized urban and community forestry programs in more than 3400 communities.

 

UAM Campus Tree Facts:

Number of trees on main campus: 1458
Number of tree species represented: 80
Top 10 species in terms of frequency:

Loblolly pine                          Crape myrtle
Baldcypress                           Water oak
Pecan                           Willow oak
Sweetgum                            Red maple
Shumard oak                           Post oak

Visit the UAM Arboretum, behind the Math & Science Center, where many of the trees have been labeled with name tags.

UAM Campus INTERACTIVE Tree Map, shows trees inventoried on the main campus. Note that each dot’s color depicts tree species (for the ten most frequently occurring genera on campus; gray dots for all other genera) and each dot’s size represents relative tree diameter.

Click on a dot to view the tree’s ID number, scientific and common name, diameter, and location by longitude/latitude.
Click on the tree’s image (best viewed with Google Chrome) to see a larger photo of the actual tree.

 “The UAM Campus Interactive Tree Map was created by the UAM School of Forestry and Natural Resources Graduate Student Association”

Contact: 
Dr. John Henris, Chair, UAM Campus Tree Board, Assistant Professor, School of Social & Behavioral Sciences
(870) 460-1163
henris@uamont.edu

Arbor Day

 

 

 

Five standards must be met annually in order to become/continue as a Tree Campus USA:

1) Tree Board – made up of campus representatives who meet to discuss campus tree planting and tree care issues. The UAM Campus Tree Board members are:

Dr. John Henris, Chair
Dr. Mike Blazier, Co-Chair
Dr. Richard Abbott
Ms. Kelsey Englert
Mr. Dylan McClain
Mr. Rusty Rippee
Dr. Elena Rubino
Dr.  Pradip Saud
Dr. Lynne Thompson
Mr. Bobby Webb
CFANR Student Representative

2) Tree Care Plan – provides guidelines for proper tree planting, tree care, tree protection
during construction activities, and tree replacement.

3) Student service project – usually a tree planting, tree care, or educational project related to trees.

4) Tree care expenditures equivalent to $3 per student

5) Arbor Day Observance.

The annual Arbor Day celebration brings together campus representatives for comments about the importance and benefits of trees and a ceremonial tree planting. Arbor Day is a nationally-celebrated observance that encourages tree planting and care. Founded by J. Sterling Morton in 1872 in Nebraska, it is celebrated throughout the nation and world.

Arbor Day in Arkansas is usually celebrated on the third Monday in March, but Arbor Day can be celebrated any day of the year by planting a tree and taking good care of it.