The University of Louisville planted two oak trees on the Belknap Campus April 6, the day Kentucky celebrated Arbor Day.
The trees join the more than 2,500 others on Belknap that bring shade, beauty and a sense of solitude and peace to our urban landscape. They are also a vital part of the city of Louisville’s tree canopy.
Earlier this year, the Arbor Day Foundation named the University of Louisville a Tree Campus USA for the eighth year. The designation means UofL successfully met five standards aimed at promoting healthy trees and student involvement.
At the Arbor Day celebration, a small group of students along with forestry experts and staff planted a native Shumard oak as well as a sawtooth oak on the lawn in front of University Pointe.
Bridget Abernathy, urban forestry coordinator with the Kentucky Division of Forestry, helped guide the planters, offering tips for digging a hole of the proper shape, height and width. She was especially adamant that the planters avoid the “mulch volcano” often seen in landscaping — mulch piled high against the tree trunk and sloping outward. The mulch should be in a very thin circle around the trunk and slope inward, allowing water to flow toward the tree, she said.
In addition, the UofL Sustainability Council launched its “Arbor Day to Earth Day” crowdfunding campaign to create a fund that would allow to invest the money using socially responsible investing methods, then use the proceeds to fund philanthropic projects. The goal is to raise $5,000, an amount that would then be matched by Just Money Advisors.
