Nebraska City, Neb. – As part of its one-year anniversary celebration of the official launch of the Tree Campus USA program, the Arbor Day Foundation and Toyota will plant trees on five college campuses across the United States this fall. The first tree-planting event will be held at the University of Maryland on Sunday, Oct. 11.

 

In the fall of 2008, the Arbor Day Foundation started the Tree Campus USA program to recognize colleges and universities that practice sound campus forestry. The aim of the program is to honor college campuses and the leaders of their surrounding communities for promoting healthy urban forest management and engaging the campus community in environmental stewardship.

 

Since its inception, Tree Campus USA has been supported by a total of $1.3 million in grants from Toyota.

 

During the initial year of Tree Campus USA, the Arbor Day Foundation honored 29 colleges and universities that met the program’s standards.

 

“Teaming up with Toyota to plant trees on college campuses across America is the perfect way to celebrate a successful first year for Tree Campus USA,” said John Rosenow, chief executive and founder of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Tree Campus USA has already encouraged students and volunteers to work together for the benefit of their community. Tree Campus USA will have a lasting impact because it will inspire people to take care of many wonderful campus forests.”

 

Tree Campus USA tree-planting events this fall will be held at the University of Maryland, Duke University, Cornell University, Tulane University and the University of Washington. About 400 trees will be planted during these events.

 

Schools are required to meet five core standards of tree care and community engagement in order to be recognized as a Tree Campus USA college or university. Those standards are: establishing a campus tree advisory committee; evidence of a campus tree-care plan; verification of dedicated annual expenditures on the campus tree plan; involvement in an Arbor Day observance; and the institution of a service-learning project aimed at engaging the student body.

 

“Toyota has been a proud partner of the Arbor Day Foundation since 2001,” said Patricia Pineda, group vice president of Toyota Motor North America. “The success of the first year of Tree Campus USA truly shows how the program is meeting the needs of the next generation of environmental stewards.”

 

More information about the Tree Campus USA program is available at www.arborday.org/TreeCampusUSA.

 

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About the Arbor Day Foundation: The Arbor Day Foundation is a nonprofit conservation organization of nearly one million members, with a mission to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. More information on the Foundation and its programs can be found at arborday.org.

 

Toyota (NYSE: TM) established operations in the United States in 1957 and currently operates 10 manufacturing plants.  Toyota is committed to being a good corporate citizen in the communities where it does business and believes in supporting programs with long-term sustainable results. Toyota supports numerous organizations across the country, focusing on education, the environment and safety. Since 1991, Toyota has contributed more than $464 million to philanthropic programs in the U.S.  

 

For more information on Toyota’s commitment to improving communities nationwide, visit www.toyota.com/community.