Brownwood News – Howard Payne University was once again honored by the Arbor Day Foundation for its commitment to effective urban forest management. HPU recently received 2017 Tree Campus USA® recognition.

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“Students are eager to volunteer in their communities and become better stewards of the environment,” said Matt Harris, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Participating in Tree Campus USA sets a fine example for other colleges and universities, while helping to create a healthier planet for us all.”

Tree Campus USA, an Arbor Day Foundation program, is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. The Tree Campus USA program honors colleges and universities for effective campus forest management and for engaging staff and students in conservation goals. Howard Payne 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 344 campuses across the United States with this recognition.

As part of its ongoing efforts in making future generations aware of forest management, HPU hosted a large group of Brownwood fifth-grade students for a Texas Arbor Day event in November 2017. The students took part in fun, outdoor experiences and participated in a tree mulching demonstration on campus.

“We really enjoyed having students from Coggin Intermediate School on campus and look forward to future years of collaboration,” said Terry Pritchett, assistant vice president for facilities and planning and chair of the university’s Campus Tree Advisory Committee. “We’re proud to be honored with Tree Campus USA recognition again this year and we’re thankful that God has entrusted HPU with this beautiful campus to manage for His glory.”

The Arbor Day Foundation has helped campuses throughout the country plant thousands of trees, and Tree Campus USA colleges and universities invested more than $48 million in campus forest management last year. More information about the program is available at arborday.org/TreeCampusUSA. The Arbor Day Foundation is a million-member nonprofit conservation and education organization with the mission to inspire people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees. More information is available at arborday.org.