LEWISBURG, Pa. — Bucknell University is striving to create a beautiful and sustainable campus for its students and faculty. Recently, with the help of student volunteers, 100 trees were planted in just 100 minutes along Smoketown Road on campus.
"They first taught us how to plant the trees and how to take up the soil, and we just got going on our own, and it was really quick and really fun, and I am just excited," said Caroline Lopez, a sophomore.
"It improves the chances for stormwater management for the campus as well as beautifying campus and increasing the biodiversity of plants here with the inundation of both trees and shrubs in this area," said Dr. Milton G. Newberry III, the sustainable technology director.
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation has partnered with the college. The conservation group hopes to plant 10 million trees across the Keystone State. This effort by Bucknell is a small part of that initiative, but it happens to be a big step for sustainability on campus.
"Now we are planting trees, and that is going to help us to absorb some of the carbon and help with the water environments," said Victor Udo, the director of sustainability.
In total, a combined 100 trees and shrubs were planted here in what used to be a "no-mow zone" that sits along a small stream known as Miller Run. In 20 years, most of the shrubs and trees will be matured, and Caroline Lopez is looking forward to that day.
"I am going to bring my kids over when they are looking at colleges, and I am going to tell them these are the trees I planted, and I made a difference on campus. I am just really excited," said Lopez.
"You could hear the students saying, 'Wow, I did this. I planted this tree, and I can't wait to come back as an alum and be able to see the impact I had on my campus, on my alma mater,'" said Newberry.
Eighteen different species make up the 100 new trees and shrubs planted on campus. The university tells Newswatch 16 that this is just one piece of the puzzle to creating a more ecological and sustainable campus.