{"id":4481,"date":"2022-04-26T12:10:43","date_gmt":"2022-04-26T16:10:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wwwcp.umes.edu\/sans\/?p=4481"},"modified":"2024-05-17T12:42:47","modified_gmt":"2024-05-17T16:42:47","slug":"umes-celebrates-150th-arbor-day-by-joining-college-campus-tree-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wwwcp.umes.edu\/sans\/sans-monthly-digest\/april-2022\/umes-celebrates-150th-arbor-day-by-joining-college-campus-tree-program\/","title":{"rendered":"UMES celebrates 150th Arbor Day by joining college campus tree program"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Eastern Regional Forester Matt Hurd (Department of Natural Resources-Maryland Forest Service) supports a red maple being planted by UMES urban forestry students during UMES’ Arbor Day celebration.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

PRINCESS ANNE, MD- (April 29, 2022)- This year\u2019s Arbor Day celebration is notable as it marks the 150th<\/sup> anniversary of the national observance.  The University of Maryland Eastern Shore teamed up with the Maryland Forest Service<\/a> for a tree planting ceremony today to serve as one of the statewide kick-off events aiming to be a catalyst to meet the state\u2019s tree canopy goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Maryland General Assembly passed the Tree Solutions Now Act of 2021<\/a> allocating $10 million per year over an eight-year period to encourage the planting of five million trees in the state.  The Chesapeake Bay Trust<\/a> serves as the administrator of the funds being distributed to educational institutions, communities, civic groups and others who commit to planting trees in underserved regions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As part of the effort, Marian Honeczy, an urban and community forester with the Maryland Forest Service reached out to the state\u2019s four Historically Black Colleges and Universities to register for the Arbor Day Foundation\u2019s Tree Campus Higher Education Program<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe program includes national certification and is a great way to promote UMES\u2019 commitment to trees on the 745 -acre main campus\u2014often noted for its \u2018arboretum-style\u2019 grounds,\u201d said Dr. Stephanie Stotts, an associate professor in UMES\u2019 Department of Natural Sciences<\/a> and Department of Agriculture, Food and Resource Sciences<\/a> and organizer for the event.  \u201cTree Campus recognizes that trees and green spaces are an integral part of college campuses making them more appealing to students and the community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Students in Stotts\u2019 urban forestry<\/a> class worked with Dutch Harbour, the university\u2019s grounds supervisor to pick out the location and a red maple donated by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.  Additional students from the Agriculture and Natural Science programs also participated in the brief ceremony held at 1 p.m. next to the William P. Hytche Athletic Center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe grounds team is excited to work with our faculty, staff and students to implement this next phase of campus improvement. We hope to increase recognition for Arbor Day and UMES by continuing to support tree and plant diversity throughout campus,\u201d said Harbour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cCampuses were required to hold an Arbor Day event to be eligible for the Tree Campus Higher Education Program,\u201d Stotts said.  \u201cWe will be planting one tree this year, but hope that it will lead to additional plantings.  Now more than ever, communities are realizing the importance of trees.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cTrees are an extremely important and cheap solution for multiple concerns,\u201d said Honeczy.  \u201cTrees create shade and reduce heat island effect, can clean the air and reduce asthma rates and help with climate change.  All it takes is for everyone to plant one tree.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Captions for photos below:<\/strong>
Pictured at UMES’ celebration of the 150th anniversary of Arbor Day, from left, are:  UMES students Lamohnyea Johnson and Shawn Demetrius; Dr. Jurgen Schwarz, chair of the Department of Agriculture, Food and Resource Sciences; Dr. Stephanie Stotts, associate professor of forest ecology at UMES; Dutch Harbour, grounds supervisor at UMES; Reina Murphy, UMES student; and Maryland Department of Natural Resources Forest Service representatives Matt Hurd (regional forester for the Eastern Region) and Marian Honeczy (supervisor for Urban and Community Forestry).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Stephanie Stotts gets things started by welcoming on-lookers to the Arbor Day tree planting ceremony.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marian Honeczy, supervisor, Urban & Community Forestry, MD DNR Forest Service, contacted UMES and the state’s three other HBCU’s to hold an Arbor Day event in order to qualify for the Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree Campus Higher Education Program.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

UMES student Reina Murphy gives the history of Arbor Day.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shawn Demetrius read a poem he wrote for the occasion and helped pass out Eastern redbud saplings among the participants.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Gail Stephens, Agricultural Communications and Media Associate, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences, UMES Extension, 410-251-7009, gcstephens@umes.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photos by Todd Dudek, Agricultural Communications, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences, UMES Extension, tdudek@umes.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n