ALBANY, GEORGIA – Albany Technical College (ATC), a Tree Campus USA member, recognizes the importance of planting new trees on Arbor Day, Friday, April 30th. In recognition of Arbor Day, this year the Environmental horticulture department at Albany Technical College created a video about the benefits of trees, and how it is important to replace the ones that have been destroyed by a disaster of some kind. The official release of the video will at 10 a.m. Friday morning on the Albany Tech YouTube channel. The video focuses on the replacement of trees that were devastated by Hurricane Michael on ATC's campus in October 2018. Students will also demonstrate how to transplant saplings.
Lise’ Adams-Mason, Environmental Horticulture Chair at Albany Tech says, “For Arbor Day this year I wanted to create a video demonstrating the importance of trees to our community and why it is so beneficial to continue planting every year. Our college experienced a destructive hurricane and we have managed to replant many new trees on the campus which represents a new beginning at Albany Tech in the wake of such a harmful natural occurrence.”
Also, ten flowering trees will be given to students this year to plant in the community: 2 Sargent Crabapple, 2 Washington Hawthorne, 3 American Redbud, and 3 White Flowering Dogwood.
George Paul, landscape consultant and former Horticulture Instructor, retired ATC, stated, “After the storm, we've finally gotten to the point that we're replacing trees and putting trees in the ground, and that's one thing that we all need to remember, even people that don't work in the landscape industry. When we lose trees whether it be in an urban environment like we have here on the Albany Technical College campus or in a woodland environment where we may be cutting trees for lumber and pulp, we always need to replant more than what was either taken from us by storms or being taken for man's use.
Additionally, Albany Technical College also celebrates another year of being named a Tree Campus USA. The College has been named Tree Campus USA since 2008 for its dedication to campus forestry management and environmental stewardship.
A national program launched by the Arbor Day Foundation, Tree Campus USA, helps colleges and universities around the country establish and sustain healthy community forests. Albany Technical College will receive annual Tree Campus USA recognition by meeting five standards. Two-year and four-year accredited colleges and universities that meet these standards receive recognition materials to showcase their dedication to the campus environment.
Albany Technical College met the required five core standards of tree care and community engagement to receive Tree Campus USA status. 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-care plan; involvement in an Arbor Day observance; and the institution of a service-learning project aimed at engaging the student body.
Environmental Horticulture can be found under Academics on the Albany Technical College website. The degree is 66 credit hours, and the diploma is 44 credit hours. For more information contact Lise Adams-Mason at 229-430-3540.