UNC Charlotte receives Tree Campus Higher Education recognition

UNC Charlotte has been recognized by the Arbor Day Foundation as a 2025 Tree Campus Higher Education institution.

“Trees have the power to inspire learning and improve well-being,” said Michelle Saulnier, vice president of programs at the Arbor Day Foundation. “By growing campus green spaces, forward-thinking higher education leaders like UNC Charlotte are cultivating vibrant learning communities that also benefit the greater environment.”

Launched in 2008, the Tree Campus Higher Education program honors colleges and universities committed to strengthening community well-being through tree education, investment and engagement. Today, more than 400 campuses across the country hold the designation, representing more than 5 million students.

To earn Tree Campus status, institutions must meet five core standards:

• maintain a campus tree advisory committee
• establish a comprehensive tree care plan
• verify annual investment in tree stewardship
• celebrate Arbor Day
• implement a service-learning project that involves students in hands-on environmental work

The Arbor Day Foundation is a global nonprofit dedicated to inspiring people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees. Since 1972, its network of more than 1 million supporters and partners has helped plant more than 500 million trees in forests and communities across more than 60 countries. The Tree Campus program is operated in partnership with the National Association of State Foresters and supported by Bartlett Tree Experts.