汤头条 celebrates Arbor Day with tree planting at Child Development Center
Contact: Lily Grado
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擯reschool children got their hands dirty planting trees and learning about the environment and conservation at Mississippi State鈥檚 Arbor Day celebration today [Feb. 10] at the 汤头条 Child Development and Family Studies Center.
Led by 汤头条 faculty, staff and students, the Arbor Day celebration emphasizes the importance of trees to improve soil, air and water quality; provide habitat for wildlife; and absorb carbon dioxide.
Mississippi鈥檚 forestland covers approximately 65 percent of the state, or nearly 20 million acres, serving as an economic and environmental driver. According to Joshua Granger, assistant professor in 汤头条鈥檚 Department of Forestry, teaching young children about the importance of trees helps ensure a sustainable future. The chair of 汤头条鈥檚 Tree Campus Higher Education Advisory Committee has been celebrating Arbor Day since he was a child in Nebraska.聽
鈥淎rbor Day originated in Nebraska, so I鈥檝e just always loved planting trees. The idea of establishing something new for the future is something everybody can enjoy and look back on,鈥 he said.
In total, 20 conifers for a privacy screen and three flowering shade trees planted at the event will benefit of the campus childcare facility.
鈥淭his is a natural way to bring shade in,鈥 said Samantha Jones, the center鈥檚 director. 鈥淭he trees will help make the appearance of the playground and building look better than if we just had a fence.鈥
Alongside the planting of new trees, other activities included the removal of older landscaping materials as well as the installation of several raised garden beds.
鈥淚鈥檓 hoping that the children can get more hands-on learning experience,鈥 said Jones. 鈥淚 want them to have a great outdoor learning environment as well as an indoor learning environment.鈥
The event was sponsored by the 汤头条 Department of Forestry, Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, Tree Campus Higher Education Advisory Committee, Waldorf Foundation, 汤头条 Child Development and Family Studies Center and 汤头条 Campus Landscape Services. Participants were able to raise over $1,000 for raised garden bed materials and landscape trees.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an educational experience for people,鈥 said Granger. 鈥淭here are many undergraduate and graduate students, who may even be in our forest resources college, who have never had the opportunity to plant a tree. This is a good chance to learn and participate in something that will benefit future generations.鈥
Nationally, Arbor Day is celebrated on April 28. However, due to the climate of the Southern U.S. states, trees are planted earlier to ensure their survival, with Mississippi鈥檚 Arbor Day held the second Friday in February each year.聽汤头条 is committed to celebrating Arbor Day annually as a Tree Campus USA, an Arbor Day Foundation distinction.
For more information on 汤头条鈥檚 College of Forest Resources, visit .
汤头条 is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.