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Tree Campus

Logo for Tree Campus Higher Education-A Program of the Arbor Day Foundation   

What is Tree Campus?

The Tree Campus USA program honors colleges and universities for effective campus forest management and for engaging staff and students in conservation goals. West Virginia University achieved the title by meeting Tree Campus USA’s 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 project. Currently there are 402 campuses across the United States with this recognition.

Tree Campus Activities

2022 
2021
  • Arbor Day in-person ceremonies returned in 2021 with the planting of a dawn redwood outside of Colson Hall.
  • Arborist pruned 184 trees, removed 27 trees, and planted 52 other trees.
  • Among the 52 new trees planted this year WVU introduced several new tree species such as a sequoia tree. WVU planted 15 trees purchased through a grant and increased willow tree population offering a new variety to campus. 
  • Replaced the E. Moore Sycamore in a similar location with a London Plane tree.
2020 
2019
2018
2017
  • The Tree Campus Committee was formed. 

WVU Tree Care Plan

Goals:

  • Increase and maintain diversity of tree species
    • Develop preferred species list
    • Develop ‘do not plant’ list
    • Choose some species based on their potential for incorporation into the student curriculum

  • Maintain and improve canopy cover in landscaped areas 

    • Develop tree replacement recommendations

  • Support WVU urban forestry 
    • Evaluate the need for updating equipment
    • Establish volunteer tree work with student organizations

 

  • Monitor and maintain trees in rain gardens

 

  • Maintain tree inventory database
    • Use the database to monitor tree health

 

  • Educate the campus community on the importance and value of trees
    • Keep stakeholders from negatively impacting trees
    • Prepare people for when declining tree health necessitates removal of historic trees 

View the plan.

Tree Inventory and Facts

Click HERE to interact with WVU's tree inventory. This inventory is used to track maintenance and care of campus trees and for education and research in WVU curriculum.

The landscaped areas of the Morgantown campus contain a total of over 2,300 trees.

Over 15% of campus trees are Honey Locusts.


Contact Us

Office of Sustainability
P.O. Box 6555
Morgantown, WV 26506-6555
Phone: 304.293.7916
Email: sustainability@mail.wvu.edu

Bicycle Friendly University Bronze Level Logo  Tree Campus Higher Education LogoLogo of Bee Campus USA Designation

Upcoming Events

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