Central College recently was honored with 2018 Tree Campus USA recognition by the Arbor Day Foundation for promoting healthy trees and engaging students and staff in conservation efforts.

Tree Campus USA recognition is given to campuses that meet five standards including:

-Maintaining a tree advisory committee
-A campus-tree care plan
-Dedicated annual expenditures for its campus tree program
-An Arbor Day observance
-Student-service learning projects

Senior Zach Greder and his friends living in the green pods, one of Central’s sustainable housing options, led the effort to obtain the recognition, applying as part of a sustainability project. With the help of Brian Campbell, Central’s Director of Sustainability Education, Greder began the process of meeting the five core standards of the Arbor Day Foundation and getting Central accredited for this honor.

“This project was probably a year and a half in the making for us,” Greder says. “It’s cool to see all that come to fruition. It sets us apart. We’re still a standard of sustainability here at Central and it’s something we take pride in.”

“When we talk about the kinds of opportunities students have here, it’s not just that you can take a class about sustainability,” Campbell says. “Students at Central get to make a difference, whether it’s here on campus or in the broader community. We give them opportunities to learn and to be the leaders of these real-world projects.”

Central is the sixth college in Iowa to earn Tree Campus USA recognition, joining the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, Drake University, Clarke University and Kirkwood Community College. Hear more about the project on today’s Let’s Talk Pella.