ODU Claims Third Consecutive “Tree Campus USA” Award

March 11, 2015

Old Dominion was recently awarded the Arbor Day Foundation's "Tree Campus USA" honor for the third year in a row, a rare achievement in the seven-year history of the national program.

The Tree Campus USA program recognizes colleges and universities for promoting and maintaining healthy trees and engaging students and staff in the spirit of conservation.

According to the advocacy group, ODU consistently meets the standards of environmental stewardship and sustainable campus forestry required by Tree Campus USA, including:

Establishing a tree advisory committee

Maintaining a campus tree-care plan with dedicated annual expenditures

Holding Arbor Day observances

And sponsoring service-learning projects for students

Chad Peevy, ODU's grounds superintendent, manages the program and prepares the University's nomination for the honor each year. He said pursuing the award each year is a "mission" that he shares with President John R. Broderick as well as students and alumni who support ODU's annual Arbor Day activities.

"This brings well-deserved national recognition to Old Dominion for how we manage our urban forest, particularly our tree canopy," Peevy said. "I feel we have an obligation to educate beyond our borders as to what good urban forest management is because we're in the middle of a city.

"There is plenty of flora and fauna at Old Dominion, and sometimes it takes waking people up to the natural world around us. This is certainly a part of that."