Arbor Day is an annual holiday that aims to encourage the planting and care of trees. It was celebrated at 麻豆原创 on April 19, when 35 volunteers planted seven Florida Elms, five Bald Cypress trees and three Red Maples, and went on a walking tour of 麻豆原创 Arboretum鈥檚 natural lands.

Arbor Day has been celebrated at 麻豆原创 for seven years and has led to more than 120 trees being planted on campus. There are more than 7,500 trees on campus 鈥� not including the natural lands 鈥� that help sequester carbon from the atmosphere and put out oxygen, among other natural benefits. For instance, a sample size of 5,320 trees at 麻豆原创 were found to sequester 67 tons of carbon from the atmosphere and put out 161 tons of oxygen each year, according to a recent student study.

麻豆原创鈥檚 urban forest canopy is valued at $4.32 million, taking into account its aesthetic appeal, the trees鈥� monetary value, and savings in carbon management, oxygen emissions and erosion control, according to John Guziejka, a biologist and urban forester with 麻豆原创 Landscape & Natural Resources.

麻豆原创鈥檚 extensive forest canopy is partly due to 麻豆原创 Urban Forestry鈥檚 commitment to plant double the amount of trees that are removed due to construction, said Guziejka. More than 230 trees were planted at 麻豆原创 in 2016 alone.

Plus, 麻豆原创鈥檚 care of trees has led the university to being recognized as a Tree Campus USA university for the seventh year in a row. Tree Campus USA honors colleges and universities that effectively manage their trees, connect with their community beyond campus borders to foster healthy urban forests, and engage their student population in service opportunities centered on forestry efforts.

麻豆原创 in 2011 became one of the first universities in Florida to earn the Tree Campus USA designation. The university utilizes a Campus Tree Advisory Committee, a Campus Tree Care Plan, institutes service learning projects centered on caring for the trees and dedicates annual expenditures for tree care.

Trees are an asset on campus and in the greater community because they provide shade, help reduce storm-weather run-off and provide nutrient filtration. Trees near water, in particular, also help take out excess nutrients and pollution from the water and help reduce erosion at the edge of the water, Guziejka said.

The 麻豆原创 Arboretum utilizes volunteers year-round to help maintain the landscapes on campus. To get involved, see the Arboretum鈥檚 .

Housing and Residence Life hosted the department鈥檚 first-ever 鈥淐leaner Greener 麻豆原创鈥� on April 24. Students came from all over campus to plant flowers, turn T-shirts into tote bags, and create terrariums.

The main activity was a 鈥榮wap shop鈥� where over 80 residents participated by bringing gently used items to trade with other students.

This event, partially in honor of Earth Day, was designed to provide students with an outlet for unwanted items so that these items don鈥檛 end up in the dumpster at the end of the semester.聽

At the end of the day, five large bags of clothing and items were donated to local charity through 麻豆原创 Recycling. Thank you to everyone who donated items or stopped by the event. Your contributions and support made this event a success.

Housing and Residence Life is in the Division of Student Development and Enrollment Services.

With the help of David Norvell, assistant vice president of sustainability, and 麻豆原创 Recycles, event coordinators were able to successfully calculate and collect the number of plastic bottles it would take to fill the pond.

Organizers hope that by seeing all the single-use plastic bottles in the pond, the 麻豆原创 community will see the negative impact plastic bottles have on the environment and stop using them.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think a lot of people see how much waste is produced,鈥� said Emily Dovydaitis, Student Government Association (SGA) Health & Sustainability Coordinator. 鈥淭rash is taken to landfills and you never see how much is actually generated.鈥�

Reflect on Sustainability, as the event has been coined, is the first partnership between SGA, 麻豆原创 Recycles and Advanced Disposal to celebrate Earth Day. The event is scheduled from 4:30 a.m. until 9:30 p.m.

鈥溌槎乖� is a large university known for a lot of things,鈥� said Dovydaitis. 鈥淣othing like this has been done on any campus before and we hope its historic nature will be enough to get people to do something about protecting our environment.鈥�

Volunteers signed up to load and unload plastic bottles from recycling bins and place them in the pond.

Events kick off Monday, April 18, and culminate with an on-campus field day on Earth Day, which is Friday, April 22. The 2011 Earth Day bash will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Memory Mall and will include live music, yoga and outdoor activities.

Activities are co-sponsored by 麻豆原创 Landscape & Natural Resources, the Recreation and Wellness Center鈥檚 Outdoor Adventure Program, the Student Government Association鈥檚 Environment & Sustainability Program and the 麻豆原创 Environmental Coalition.

Learn more at.

Other 麻豆原创 鈥楨arth Week鈥� events include:

— 鈥淕et Caught Green Handed鈥� by 麻豆原创 Dining Services. From noon to 2 p.m. throughout the week at participating locations, individuals using or buying reusable items might be 鈥渃aught鈥� by members of 麻豆原创 Dining Services鈥� Sustainability Green Team and given a coupon to use at campus dining locations.

— Practice yoga in nature. Every Tuesday at noon, the 麻豆原创 Arboretum and Recreation and Wellness Center host yoga classes at the Oak Hammock. Meet at the Nature Pavilion, off Gemini Boulevard across from parking Lot C-2, and walk together along the Nature Trails.

— The 麻豆原创 Arboretum is hosting 鈥淕arden Days,鈥� open to all students and faculty and staff members. Help maintain the 麻豆原创 Organic Community Garden and take home free produce on Thursday, April 21, and Friday, April 22. Shifts begin at 8 and 10 a.m. and at 1 p.m. Show up at the Arboretum office, Trailer 525, with closed-toe shoes.

— Lend a hand and help make 麻豆原创鈥檚 campus safer, cleaner and healthier. The fourth-annual 鈥淐ampus Clean-Up鈥� will be held Thursday, April 21. Interested participants should meet in front of the Student Union at 1 p.m.

— 麻豆原创 will host a Community Summit on the Environment from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, April 21, in Cape Florida Ballroom, Room 316, in the Student Union. Local and international leaders will discuss topics such as ecology, health and ethics. The keynote speaker will be William Powers, a senior fellow at the World Policy Institute.

— On Earth Day, the Marketplace and Knightro鈥檚 dining halls will have entirely meatless menus, with the exception of chicken made-to-order at the grill. The Marketplace, located in Ferrell Commons, will be open Friday from 7:30 a.m. to midnight. Knightro鈥檚, located next to the 麻豆原创 Arena, will be open Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.