(News release) – For the fourth consecutive year Northwest Missouri State University has been named a Tree Campus USA by the Arbor Day Foundation for its commitment to effective urban forest management.

Tree Campus USA is a national program created in 2008 by the Arbor Day Foundation to honor colleges and universities for effective campus forest management and for engaging staff and students in conservation goals.

Northwest 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.

“Trees are a vital component of campus infrastructure and landscaping,” Dan Lambe, president of the Arbor Day Foundation, said in a letter notifying Northwest of the designation. “First, properly placed trees create a welcoming space for students, staff and alumni, providing much-needed relief from heat and a quiet place to reflect or study. Second, trees keep our air and water clean and remove harmful pollutants. Third, trees save money by reducing energy use and improving stormwater management. By earning Tree Campus USA recognition, your campus has shown its commitment to protecting and preserving its valuable tree resources and will recap their benefits for generations of students to come.”

The Missouri state legislature designated the Northwest campus as the Missouri Arboretum in 1993. Today, the campus is home to more than 1,700 trees and more than 130 species cultivated from throughout the world. Three trails – the Gaunt Trail, Tower Trail and Chautauqua Trail – also traverse the campus to help visitors learn about the trees and get an up-close view of them.

The University’s legacy of caring for trees and developing its lush landscape dates back to nearly 50 years before the institution’s founding in 1905. About 85 acres of the 330-acre campus were originally part of a tree farm and nursery established by Thomas Gaunt in 1857. The Gaunt home now serves as a residence for the University president and his family.