One of the things that might have appealed to you as a prospective student at Truman State University is the campus greenery. Campus is filled with old-growth trees of varying species. In fact, the entirety of Kirksville has an abundance of trees. Coming into town on U.S. Highway 63, visitors are greeted with a sign declaring Kirksville, Missouri, a Tree City USA. Likewise, Truman is honoured as a Tree Campus USA.
The tree campus distinction is given to campuses who meet three criteria: effectively managing campus trees, developing connections with the community that help promote urban forests, and striving to engage students in forestry-related efforts. Though it may not seem like Truman has a lot of activities based solely around trees, a lot of service efforts around campus do focus on the environment and sustainability. This semester, the Campus Tree Advisory Committee organized tours to teach students about the kinds of trees on campus.
The University also recently received a grant of $10,000 to ensure more work goes toward revitalizing and taking care of campus trees.
We, The Index Editorial Board, commend Truman’s dedication to trees and campus beautification. This might be a small aspect of student life on campus, but it is important to the University as a whole.
A short walk through The Quad or by the red barn makes it easy to see that our University takes care of its trees. We encourage students to take some time to think about the impact trees have on campus and student life.
Whether students are hammocking on a summer day, napping in the shade to pass some time or reading under the massive oaks, it would be hard to imagine campus without its trees.
We appreciate the time and effort the Campus Tree Advisory Committee has dedicated to making the campus a naturally inviting space. With organized tree walks and information available online, there is no doubt that Truman students, faculty and staff enjoy the care given to the campus scenery.