Northern Illinois University will plant up to 450 new trees across campus over the next four years, thanks to a grant from Morton Arboretum.
NIU’s $475,000 award is part of a larger, $15 million series of grants from the Arboretum to increase tree cover in communities across Illinois.
The tree planting project will have impacts beyond some more shade on campus. It’s advancing the university’s sustainability and food system missions.
That’s according to project manager and campus sustainability coordinator Courtney Gallaher.
“One of the commitments that we've made as we developed our university's sustainable Climate Action Plan," Gallaher said, "is to really think about how we can leverage any sustainability project on campus to become a project where we use our campus as a living laboratory for students."
The funds will also go towards creating related urban forestry classes and internships, as well as a complete inventory of all the trees on campus.
Gallaher also says that the project is about more than making the campus a little greener.
"Part of my role and my mission," said Gallaher, "is just making sure that people see themselves in the university's commitment to sustainability. And that can look like a lot of different things. You know, we have historically had this fairly narrow view of sustainability related to perhaps recycling or trash pickups. And it's not that, this is about ensuring the future of our communities in a world that's changing under climate change.”
Gallaher says the project could make NIU eligible to become an accredited arboretum, as well.
More than 10% of the trees planted will be fruit and nut trees, including Illinois natives like walnut and pawpaw. Gallaher says students will feel the difference on campus as soon as next year.