Campus Arbor Day Celebration 2023

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign received recognition as Tree Campus USA by the Arbor Day Foundation. The campus community will celebrate this achievement at the Campus Arbor Day Celebration by planting a new horizon elm tree outside Davenport Hall. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend this event over the lunch hour on the Main Quad to help plant the 2023 Arbor Day tree (more information below).

More than 16,000 trees on campus benefit from the university’s comprehensive management and care. The Campus Tree Advisory Committee is charged by the assistant vice chancellor and executive director of F&S, Dr. Ehab Kamarah, and includes representatives from the University of Illinois Arboretum; the City of Champaign Public Works Department; the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE); University of Illinois Extension; the Horticulture Club; and Students for Environmental Concerns.

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Campus Arbor Day Celebration
Friday, April 28
Noon–1 p.m.

Location: West of Davenport Hall near the Main Quad
Speakers: Vice Chancellor for Administration and Operations Mike DeLorenzo and University Landscape Architect Brent Lewis
Activities: Guests will be able to participate in an interactive tree-via game sponsored by iSEE, and all are invited to help the F&S Grounds department plant the tree with the provided ceremonial shovels.

Campus Arbor Day Guided Tree Walk
Friday, April 28
1–1:30 p.m.

Location: West of Davenport Hall near the Main Quad
Speakers: University Landscape Architect Brent Lewis
Activities: In celebration of this year’s Arbor Day, a 30-minute guided tree walk will take participants on a tour around campus, highlighting important tree species and our very own local history in regard to the foliage on campus. All are invited. This event is weather-dependent and may be cancelled in case of inclement weather.

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The university recognizes the benefits of trees and their impact on providing habitat for diverse species, sequestering carbon from the atmosphere, and positively affecting the human spirit and behavior. Green spaces, such as the Main Quad, South Quad, the U of I Arboretum, and Allerton Park & Retreat Center, are outdoor areas that give people settings to relax, while also inspiring and encouraging learning opportunities aimed at creating a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future for all.

The Tree Campus Higher Education designation requires meeting five core standards of the Arbor Day Foundation for sustainable campus forestry: establishing a tree advisory committee, creating a campus tree care plan, dedicating annual expenditures for your campus tree program, sponsoring student service learning projects, and establishing an Arbor Day observance.

The Arbor Day Foundation has helped campuses throughout the country plant thousands of trees with the support and guidance of Tree Campus Higher Education. More information about the program is available at https://www.arborday.org/programs/tree-campus-higher-education/.

Tree Campus Higher Education is a registered trademark of the Arbor Day Foundation.