In honor of the 110th Arbor Day celebrated here on campus, the Arboretum held its annual tree planting. Last year Founders Green got a new maple for the holiday, and this year the arboretum staff added an Elizabeth magnolia to the campus’ 200-acre collection.
This tree, a hybrid of a native cucumber magnolia and a Chinese yulan magnolia, should grow to be about 30-feet tall and will have fragrant, yellow flowers. It was planted (with the help of attendees) in front of Chase Hall in roughly the same spot as the more-than-100-year-old scarlet oak that had to be removed a few years ago.
We added more than just another beautiful new tree on this Arbor Day. We celebrated being recognized as a Tree Campus USA. A national program launched in 2008 by the Arbor Day Foundation, Tree Campus USA honors college and university campuses for promoting healthy trees and engaging students and staff in the spirit of conservation. Chosen schools are judged on five standards: having a tree advisory committee, a campus tree-care plan, sponsorship of student service-learning projects, an event observing Arbor Day and dedicating annual expenditures for a campus tree program. Haverford College is one of only five higher education institutions in Pennsylvania to have earned the recognition and this honor celebrates our commitment to conservation and environmental stewardship.
