Franklin College Receives Tree Campus USA Designation
Franklin College has been honored as a 2024 “Tree Campus Higher Education Institution” by the Arbor Day Foundation. This prestigious recognition acknowledges higher education institutions that successfully incorporate green spaces and trees into their campuses. Notably, this award marks the 12th consecutive year that Franklin College has received this esteemed distinction.
“Trees have the power to inspire learning and improve well-being,” said Michelle Saulnier, vice president of programs at the Arbor Day Foundation. “By growing campus green spaces, forward-thinking higher education leaders like Frankin College are cultivating vibrant learning communities that also benefit the greater environment.”
Franklin College earned recognition by upholding the standards required by the Arbor Day Foundation. They include maintaining an advisory committee, setting a campus tree care plan, verifying annual investment in the tree care plan, celebrating Arbor Day and creating a service-learning project aimed at engaging the student body.
“Franklin College possesses an abundance of green space that offers faculty, staff, students and community members an enjoyable environment for both work and leisure,” stated Alice Heikens, Ph.D., professor of biology at Franklin College. “By planting native species on our campus, we not only create habitats for local wildlife but also contribute to the purification of our air and water.”
About the Arbor Day Foundation
The Arbor Day Foundation is a global nonprofit with a mission to inspire people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees. Its network of more than a million supporters and partners has helped the organization plant more than 500 million trees in forests and communities across more than 60 countries since 1972. The Tree Campus program recognizes schools, universities, and healthcare facilities that utilize trees to improve their communities. Learn more about the impact of the Arbor Day Foundation at www.arborday.org.