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Students, faculty and staff, members of the Charlottesville community and visitors from far and wide wander through the University of Virginia’s Grounds snapping photos and lounging in the shade of enormous trees every day. As some of UVA’s oldest living things, do you ever wonder how much history these trees have experienced in their tenure? From presidents to war, these trees have seen it all – and they are getting some recognition.
The University was recently awarded the Tree Campus USA designation by the Arbor Day Foundation. UVA is one of seven higher-ed instutitions in the state of Virginia to be granted this designation on the basis of a satisfactory tree advisory committee, tree-care plan, student service-learning project, Arbor Day observance and an adequate fund for tree care. The designation – and the long lives of the more than 10,000 trees on Grounds – is largely thanks to the hard work of the Facilities Management teams that care for UVA’s flora and fauna year-round. Kevin Beal, certified arborist and Facilities Management Landscape Services senior supervisor, has been looking after Grounds for the past 13 years, after many years in private tree care. Read more.