January 31, 2013
St. John’s University has been named one of the nation’s 2012 Tree
Campus USA® institutions of higher learning. Conferred by the
Arbor Day Foundation on January 25 as part of its Tree Campus USA
program, the designation signifies the University’s success in
promoting the health of its trees and in engaging students in
related service-learning projects. The program was launched in 2008
by the foundation in partnership with Toyota Motor North America,
Inc.
Building on the University’s earlier achievements as a
participant in the New York City Department of Parks and
Recreation’s
Million TreesNYC initiative, St. John’s was able to meet the
foundation’s criteria by establishing a tree advisory committee and
a campus-wide tree-care plan; allocating dedicated funds; and
developing Arbor Day events as well as an Academic
Service-Learning (ASL) component.
Noting the collaborative nature of this undertaking, Thomas
Goldsmith, director of energy and environmental conservation, cited
the contributions made by
Paula Lazrus, Ph.D., assistant professor of the Discover New
York (DNY) program, as well as other faculty and staff members.
“Dr. Lazrus engaged students in an ASL project gathering
information that will enable the Department of Information
Technology to create an up-to-date campus tree database,” Goldsmith
said. “This tool will be used by the University going forward and
will also serve as an interactive tree map for students, staff and
others who are interested.”
Student sustainability coordinators, with the help of
Richard Stalter, Ph.D., professor of biological sciences, and
William Nieter, assistant dean of St. John’s College of Liberal
Arts and Sciences and director of the Environmental Studies
Program, along with William Bernor, director of grounds, and Lester
Noga, foreman in the Office of Facilities, took all steps necessary
to enable St. John’s to apply for consideration by the Tree Campus
USA program. Landscape architect Louis Fusco and arborist Peter
Schmidt also took part.
Gratified that their hard work paid off, Raelynne Lee ’13G,
sustainability coordinator, said, “This journey has encouraged us
to continue to improve our sustainable landscaping practices.
Receiving national recognition for our hard work will further
increase campus awareness that these practices not only add beauty
to our urban environment, but also reduce campus energy
consumption.” Peter Barker ’13C, sustainability coordinator, added,
“We are excited to be a sustainability model for other New York
schools and urban campuses nationwide.”
The Sustainability Committee is in conversations with the Arbor Day
Foundation about plans for the foundation to sponsor an event on
Arbor Day 2013 involving the planting of 50 trees and plans are
underway to develop a campus arboretum.