Pacific takes its last step in becoming a certified tree campus

With spring weather bringing out the sun, it is a perfect time to get a green thumb. Pacific University’s Center for a Sustainable Society (CSS) will be holding a Bees and Trees Festival on their lawn near Marsh Hall on April 27 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. This festival will revolve around raising awareness about plants and pollination.

All community members are invited to visit the festival’s plant vendors and participate in various activities such as planting trees. There will also be various stands run by members of the Forest Grove community and speakers to talk about pollination and trees.

Hayden Martinez, a CSS member, states the Bees and Trees Festival will help community members learn how they can take a more active role in benefiting the environment. Martinez states he hopes for kids attending the festival to get an early interest in the environment.

“We hope we can get kids to become curious about sustainability as early as they can” said Martinez.

According to Michelle Larkins, the Director of CSS, holding this festival is the final step needed for Pacific University to be certified as a Tree Campus by the Arbor Day Foundation.  Becoming a tree campus will show Pacific University’s dedication to growing and maintaining a tree friendly campus.

“Becoming a tree campus is a way communicate to the student body and larger Forest Grove community the importance of our environment” said Larkins.

Becoming a tree campus will also give CSS more mobility to plant more white oak trees at Pacific University. Larkins states that Pacific University has a lot of pride in their campuses white oaks, some of which are more than 100 years old.

“There are many, many white oaks on campus and they are all very important to us” said Larkins.

Being able to plant more white oak trees is important since they are an endangered native species of trees in Oregon.

The Bees and Trees Festival is also one of several steps towards Pacific University to become a Pollination Campus. CSS have already started efforts toward this goal by making an area by Tran Library more pollination friendly. CSS is planning continuing their work into next year as well.