Lakeland receives Arbor Day grant to aid tree program
Lakeland University has received a grant from the Arbor Day Foundation's Tree Campus Jumpstart program to plant new trees and sustain existing trees on its rural Sheboygan County campus.
Lakeland will receive up to $5,000 in Jumpstart funds to purchase and plant larger-caliper, climate-resilient tree species and planting supplies to accelerate campus tree recovery while providing immediate aesthetic and ecological benefits.
Paul Pickhardt, Lakeland professor of biology and Lakeland’s sustainability officer, said plantings will be strategically located in high impact areas to improve shade, stormwater management and habitat diversity.
The project will also establish the foundational structures needed for sustained tree health on Lakeland’s campus, which was founded in 1862.
Lakeland will develop a Campus Tree Care Plan that defines standards for species selection, planting, maintenance and replacement. Lakeland’s plan will be created collaboratively by facilities staff, faculty, students and a City of Sheboygan official to ensure sound arboricultural practices and institutional ownership.
A Campus Tree Advisory Committee will be formed and integrate student-led service-learning throughout implementation. Lakeland science and honors students will take part in inventory and early-stage care, transforming the campus into a living laboratory for applied environmental learning.
The Arbor Day Foundation's Tree Campus Jumpstart offers funding to higher education institutions seeking their first year of Tree Campus Higher Education recognition. It funds innovative projects that nurture and grow campus tree canopy, establish or expand a campus tree program, encourage student engagement and develop and continue long-term beneficial relationships in the community.
Pickhardt said Lakeland’s 250-acre campus has experienced significant aesthetic and ecological loss following the removal of dozens of mature ash trees due to emerald ash borer (EAB).
“These efforts will move Lakeland from reactive tree replacement to proactive campus arboriculture,” Pickhardt said. “It builds the partnerships, student engagement and institutional commitment necessary to achieve and sustain Tree Campus Higher Education recognition.”
Lakeland students will contribute to species selection, planting and early maintenance through service-learning and research or course-based activities, creating hand-on application of what students are learning in Lakeland classrooms.
Long term, Pickhardt said the goal is for Lakeland students to feel they are a part of an ongoing process that supports and prioritizes healthy campus arboriculture.
“We envision a campus where a mature, diverse tree canopy signals not only environmental progress, but a shared commitment to stewardship and community,” Pickhardt said.
“At Lakeland, taking care of people and the planet is rooted in fostering a campus environment where ecological stewardship and student well-being are inseparable. Our community recognizes that healthy green spaces are not only environmental assets, but also essential to physical health, mental wellness, and a sense of belonging.
“Trees on our campus are a living infrastructure. They provide shade, improve air quality, reduce stormwater runoff from our functional wetlands and create spaces where students gather, reflect and learn.”
Since 2008, the Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree Campus Higher Education program has provided a straightforward framework for colleges and universities across the United States. By participating, institutions can enhance their community forests, gain national recognition, and create a campus environment that both students and staff can take pride in.
The Arbor Day Foundation is a global nonprofit inspiring people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees. They foster a growing community of more than 1 million leaders, innovators, planters and supporters united by their bold belief that a more hopeful future can be shaped through the power of trees. For more than 50 years, they've answered critical need with action, planting more than half a billion trees alongside their partners.
