Over the weekend the University of West Florida celebrated the university’s recognition by the Arbor Day Foundation as a Higher Education Tree Campus.
The market featured plant-based vendors and activities like guided nature walking tours and plants for sale by Native Plant Company. The paper mill in Cantonment, International Paper, was also at the event giving away Florida native tree species for free.
“I am the Regional Communications Manager at International Paper and I’m also UWF’s Alumni Association President,” said Whitney Fike, International Paper Regional Communications Manager.
“I am very involved with the University in several ways and International Paper is proud to help sponsor this inaugural Arbor Day Market event,” said Fike. “We will be giving away 300 native variety trees in one-gallon containers. The four native species are Persimmon, River Birch, Flatwoods Plum and Crabapple,”
“We’re thrilled to join forces with the University of West Florida to sponsor the trees for this Arbor Day event,” said Fike. “International Paper’s commitment goes beyond environmental stewardship; it’s about actively engaging with the communities we serve. Together with UWF, we’re planting seeds of change and fostering a greener, more sustainable future for all.”
The Arbor Day Foundation is a non-profit organization that works to plant trees across the United States. As urban development rises, natural tree cover is shrinking. Natural tree cover has benefits that manufactured awnings do not have. The tees help clean the air of carbon dioxide emissions, provide shelter for animals and some like the fruit trees at Arbor Day Market provide food.
“We’re working against a climate clock that demands we all do better. So we’re scaling our efforts to plant 500 million trees by 2027 in areas where they’re needed most,” said Arbor Day Foundation.
UWF has been recognized by the Arbor Day Foundation since 2019 for effective forestry management and conservation efforts. The Edward Ball Nature Trail on campus has a robust variety of trees from an over 200-year-old oak, cypress and many more. UWF has a Camellia Garden with multiple varieties of native flowers and the Community Garden aims to plant 1000 fruit trees and bushes across the UWF campus.
