Nashville universities recognized for trees

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Two Nashville universities are being recognized for their trees.

The Tennessean reports the Arbor Day Foundation and Toyota gave the Tree Campus USA distinction to Tennessee State University and Trevecca Nazarene University. The newspaper reports the universities near downtown Nashville are the first in Middle Tennessee to receive the recognition.

After the ceremony on Sunday, more trees were planted by students, faculty and administrators.

To qualify for the recognition, campuses must have a tree advisory committee, a tree care plan, a tree program with dedicated expenditures each year, an Arbor Day observance and a service project.

Trevecca senior Mackenzie Cox, who helped prepare the university's application for the designation, said the school planted several fruit trees in recent years. She said the recognition will give people another reason to pay attention to the school.

"A small liberal arts college that's also a tree campus says a lot," she said during a short break from planting pear, apple, apricot, persimmon and other fruit trees.

Trevecca president Dan Boone noted the importance of students understanding how to care for the planet's natural resources.

"We want to raise up a generation of students that understand how the world works and what it means to steward and care for the world that's been given to us," Boone said.

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