{"id":7394,"date":"2023-04-24T09:20:43","date_gmt":"2023-04-24T13:20:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wwwcp.umes.edu\/sans\/?p=7394"},"modified":"2023-04-27T11:21:48","modified_gmt":"2023-04-27T15:21:48","slug":"umes-receives-national-certification-by-arbor-day-foundation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wwwcp.umes.edu\/sans\/sans-monthly-digest\/april-2023\/umes-receives-national-certification-by-arbor-day-foundation\/","title":{"rendered":"UMES receives national certification by Arbor Day Foundation"},"content":{"rendered":"
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This year\u2019s Arbor Day celebration at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore was one for the books.  The 745 acres that make up the main campus in Somerset County were certificated by the Arbor Day Foundation as an official Tree Campus during a tree planting ceremony April 26.  The school, known for its arboretum-style grounds, joined the ranks of 411 other institutions in the distinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Tree Campus Higher Education Program<\/a> recognizes that college campuses are ecosystems, providing a healthier environment for the students and community,\u201d said Dr. Stephanie Stotts, an associate professor in UMES\u2019 departments of Natural Sciences and Agriculture, Food and Resource Sciences, and organizer for the event. \u201cTrees add beauty, reduce heat island effect by creating shade, can clean the air and reduce asthma rates, and help mitigate climate change.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Helping the state meet its tree canopy goal is the Maryland Forest Service\u2019s business. The urban and community forestry program within the Maryland Forest Service is tasked with helping to carry out the Tree Solutions Now Act of 2021 passed by Maryland\u2019s General Assembly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cOur programs support educational institutions, communities and civic groups who want to plant trees all across the state of Maryland, particularly in underserved regions.  Through the Act, the state of Maryland is financially supporting and encouraging everyone to help meet the goal of planting five million trees,\u201d said Regional Forester Matthew Hurd, who is coordinating the effort on the Eastern Shore.  \u201cCollaborating with UMES to be part of the program was a natural choice and we are so glad to be working with the university.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hurd made the Tree Campus presentation at an informal ceremony.\u00a0 Students in Stotts\u2019 urban forestry class worked with the university\u2019s grounds supervisor to pick a location (between the Pond and Court Plaza) to plant two red maples donated by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.\u00a0 DNR also supplied some silky dogwood tree saplings for attendees to take home and plant. UMES\u2019 Urban Forestry Program supports the university\u2019s groundskeepers by conducting periodic tree inventories and through grants projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cTo receive this designation, UMES was required to meet Tree Campus\u2019 five standards, which include maintaining a tree advisory committee, a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures for its campus tree program, an Arbor Day observance and student service-learning projects,\u201d Stotts said.  \u201cWe hope UMES\u2019 involvement in the program seals our commitment to additional plantings on campus and the community and brings awareness to the field of urban forestry, which is growing at an impressive rate.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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>.<\/em><\/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<\/a><\/em>@gcstephens<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photo captions, clockwise from top left:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matthew Hur<\/strong>d, center, a regional forester (Eastern Shore) with the Maryland Forest Service, Department of Natural Resources, presents a plaque to University of Maryland Eastern Shore representatives for meeting the requirements of the Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree Campus Higher Education Program (formerly Tree Campus USA). Pictured from left, are Logan Doggett<\/strong>, a junior agriculture major studying dendrology; School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences Dean Moses T. Kairo<\/strong>; Charles Smith III<\/strong>, a sophomore majoring in urban forestry; Dr. Stephanie Stotts<\/strong>, an associate professor in UMES’ departments of Natural Sciences and Agriculture, Food and Resource Sciences; Hurd; Dr. Stephan Tubene<\/strong>, acting chair of Agriculture, Food and Resource Sciences; and Dr. Jonathan Cumming<\/strong>, chair of Natural Sciences<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

UMES students, from left, Alexis Lee<\/strong>, a senior biology major; Daylah McCulloug<\/strong>h, a junior marine biology major; and Charles Smith III<\/strong>, a sophomore majoring in urban forestry, plant one of two red maples provided by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources during the Arbor Day celebration. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Applying mulch as a finishing touch to the tree planting, from left, are (standing) Daylah McCulloug<\/strong>h, a junior marine biology major; Rolle Ngongang<\/strong>, a senior biology major; Charles Smith II<\/strong>I, a sophomore majoring in urban forestry; (kneeling) Dr. Stephanie Stotts<\/strong>, faculty lead for the Urban Forestry Program and event organizer; and Logan Doggett<\/strong>, a junior agriculture major studying dendrology.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Stephan Tubene<\/strong>, acting chair of UMES’ Department of Agriculture, Food and Resource Sciences, selects a silky dogwood sapling from Dr. Stephanie Sottts <\/strong>to take home to plant courtesy of MD DNR. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matthew Hurd<\/strong>, left, a regional forester with the MD DNR, helps Daylah McCullough<\/strong>, a junior marine biology major, place the root ball for a red maple “level with the ground, not too deep for root rot and not too high to leave roots exposed.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n