“We know that 2020 has brought unprecedented challenges—but you have shown that your commitment to trees is unwavering,” Dan Lambe, president of the Arbor Day Foundation, wrote in a recent letter to the University. “Now more than ever, thank you for contributing to a healthier planet for all of us.”
Fordham is among approximately 400 colleges and universities recognized for their commitment to trees in 2019 by Tree Campus Higher Education, a national program launched in 2008 by the Arbor Day Foundation. Formerly known as Tree Campus USA, the program honors schools that meet five core standards: establishment of a tree advisory committee, creation of a campus tree-care plan, annual funding for its campus tree program, an Arbor Day observance, and sponsorship of student service learning projects. Fordham has participated in the program since 2015.
The University is home to hundreds of trees, including one of the oldest American elm trees in New York City. For more than 270 years, the tree has towered over Cunniffe House at the Rose Hill campus. It lost a large limb after Tropical Storm Isaias swept across the East Coast, but the tree should heal normally, said Marco Valera, vice president for administration. The damaged limb was properly cut back, and the tree will be monitored more frequently.
