Thiel College celebrating sixth straight year as an Arbor Day Foundation Tree Campus

GREENVILLE, Pa.-- Thiel College is celebrating its sixth consecutive year of Arbor Day Foundation Tree Campus Higher Education recognition by the Arbor Day Foundation for its commitment to effective urban forest management.

Thiel College is one of just 20 such campuses in Pennsylvania.

There were 411 Tree Campus Higher Education campuses in the United States.

In 2023, our Tree Campus Higher Education Network planted over 168,000 trees and engaged over 19,000 students in tree-focused service learning projects. Together, we are reaching more than 4,882,000 students across the United States.

According to the Arbor Day Foundation, campuses around the country should be meeting with their tree advisory committee, planning service-learning projects and engaging with the Tree Campus network to prepare to earn another year of Tree Campus recognition.

“Trees not only play a vital role in the environment but also in our daily lives,” said Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Having trees on college and university campuses is a great way to show a commitment to students and faculty’s overall wellbeing.”

The Tree Campus Higher Education program honors colleges and universities and their leaders for promoting healthy trees and engaging students and staff in the spirit of conservation. Thiel College achieved this distinction by meeting Tree Campus Higher Education’s five core standards, including the establishment of a tree advisory committee, evidence of a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures for its campus tree program, an Arbor Day observance, and the sponsorship of student service-learning projects.

One of Thiel College’s oldest landmarks is Brother Martin’s Walk. The walk will celebrate its 150th anniversary this fall. The tree-lined walk was created in 1874. Classes were dismissed and Thiel faculty, students and staff planted the first 100-plus maple trees. Eventually, the count numbered as high as 392 trees. These trees formed two rows and continues today as the main walkway on campus which is central to annual gatherings and celebrations. Students traditionally march with their entire class along that walk just twice, once during the opening convocation at the start of their first year and once during Commencement Exercises. In addition to Brother Martin’s Walk, work is underway to dedicate a tree in honor of each of Thiel College’s 20 presidents.

The Arbor Day Foundation is one of the world’s largest nonprofit conservation organizations dedicated to planting trees. The Foundation plants and distributes more than 10 million trees each year. Its Tree Campus Higher Education program was founded in 2008 and provides a simple framework for colleges and universities to grow their community forests, achieve national recognition, and create a campus their students and staff are proud of.

Related Links

• Department of Biology
• Department of Environmental Science
• Arbor Day Foundation

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• Thiel College hosting Pennsylvania DCNR workshop on “Caring for the Woods”
• Arbor Day Foundation honors Thiel College with 2020 Tree Campus recognition
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