For its commitment to sustainability, Missouri State University recently received recognitions from both the Arbor Day Foundation and Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
MSU has been named a 2024 Tree Campus for the 12th consecutive year and received the Bee Campus USA certification for the third time in a row.
“These honors show our commitment to creating and sustaining an urban forest, as well as enhancing habitats for our pollinator friends on campus,” said Jeff Chambers, assistant director of facilities management – grounds services. “They also reflect our efforts to maintain a lovely campus environment for students, employees and visitors to enjoy.”
Making campus greener
The Tree Campus Higher Education program gives higher education leaders a framework and support to create and sustain an environment of healthy, vibrant trees on their campuses.
A college or university must meet these five standards:
- Establish a campus tree advisory committee.
- Develop a campus tree care plan.
- Allocate finances for its annual campus tree program.
- Observe Arbor Day.
- Create a service-learning project that engages the student body.
Attracting pollinators
Bee Campus USA provides a framework for university and college campus communities to conserve native pollinators by increasing the abundance of native plants, providing nest sites and reducing the use of pesticides.
Missouri State first became an affiliate of the Bee Campus USA program in December 2022. To gain and retain affiliate status, the university must meet these standards:
- Establish a standing Bee Campus USA committee to advocate for pollinators.
- Create and enhance pollinator habitats on campus by increasing the abundance of native plants and providing nesting sites.
- Reduce pesticide use.
- Offer courses or continuing education opportunities that incorporate pollinator conservation.
- Offer service-learning projects to enhance pollinator habitats.
- Display signage focused on pollinator conservation.
- Maintain an online presence for Bee Campus activities.
- Pay an initial application fee and annual renewal fee.
- Apply for renewal and report on previous year’s activities annually.
MSU earned the Bee Campus USA recertification thanks to collaboration among the grounds department, faculty and students in the Darr College of Agriculture and planning, design and construction.
“When a new building is being planned out on campus, planning, design and construction has been incorporating more native pollinators into the landscaping plans,” Chambers said. “Grounds also works with people in the Darr College of Agriculture on relandscaping and incorporating more pollinator-loving plants into the landscaping.”