Honoring its commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability, the College commemorated the 32nd annual Earth Day a few days early by hosting a few events on Friday, April 20.
With temperatures hovering in the mid-70s, the sunny afternoon brought a diverse crowd to “Barclay Beach” near the Duck Pond for a wildflower planting with horticulturalists Charlie Jenkins, Mike Startup, Carol Wagner and the rest of the Arboretum staff. Professors, students, campus staff and even a few local residents all pitched in to help beautify the school’s arboretum by adding 700 different native wetland and meadow plants. This program helps both the school save energy because meadows don’t require mowing and also provides protection and food for birds and small wildlife.
During the planting, plant curator Martha Van Artsdalen sported a button from the original Earth Day while Rebecca Kazinka ’12 brought her mom, who was visiting from New York. The meadow should be mature by mid-summer, offering glimpses of blooming wildflowers.
For the more literary minded, the Arboretum’s Mike Startup also gave his annual reading of Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax. He read the environmental fable that chronicles the plight of the Lorax, who speaks for the trees and against the greedy Once-ler, on the porch of Founders Hall on Friday afternoon.
Earth Day was officially April 22.
Haverford Celebrates Earth Day
Honoring its commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability, the College commemorated the 32nd annual Earth Day a few days early by hosting a few events on Friday, April 20.
