{"id":47355,"date":"2026-05-26T14:23:21","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T19:23:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.und.edu\/und-today\/?p=47355"},"modified":"2026-05-26T14:33:33","modified_gmt":"2026-05-26T19:33:33","slug":"new-trees-take-root-at-unds-annual-arbor-day-celebration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.und.edu\/und-today\/2026\/05\/new-trees-take-root-at-unds-annual-arbor-day-celebration\/","title":{"rendered":"New trees take root at UND\u2019s annual Arbor Day celebration"},"content":{"rendered":"

Planting ceremony outside Merrifield Hall aligns with UND\u2019s recognition through Arbor Day Foundation\u2019s Tree Campus Higher Education program\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Jared
Jared Johnson, UND arborist, speaks at the podium during the University\u2019s annual Arbor Day celebration outside Merrifield Hall. Photo by Chloe Piekkola\/UND Today.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Editor\u2019s note:<\/strong>\u00a0In the <\/em>UND LEADS Strategic Plan,<\/em><\/a><\/strong>\u00a0the <\/em>“Affinity”<\/em><\/strong><\/a> core value includes a call to “promote sustainable practices critical to the long-term health, well-being, and success of the University community.” The following story describes how UND goes to great lengths to encourage one such sustainable practice: the planting, nurturing and celebration of trees on campus, in line with the University’s status as a participant in the Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree Campus Higher Education program.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

By the time construction wraps along Centennial Drive, the transformation around Merrifield Hall will include more than fresh pavement. Four newly planted trees will bring deep burgundy\u00a0foliage,\u00a0bright spring blooms and, eventually, apples to UND\u2019s campus landscape.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As\u00a0shovels hit the soil on May 20, campus leaders gathered outside Merrifield Hall to reflect on how trees shape both the physical campus and the community around it.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Vice President for Finance & Operations Karla Mongeon-Stewart<\/a><\/strong> opened the event by\u00a0comparing root systems to the kind of support network a campus community should offer.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis invisible support system is a powerful metaphor for what human connection, and our college campus, should be: a network of mutual care, understanding, and support,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

That idea of stewardship carried into remarks from Director of Facilities Operations Corey Shock<\/a><\/strong>, who reminded attendees that many of the trees defining UND\u2019s campus today were planted by people thinking far beyond their own time.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe mature elms and evergreens we all walk past on a daily basis are the results of decisions made by many people 50 or even 100 years ago who envisioned the campus as we enjoy now.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Three
Corey Shock, director of facilities operations, shovels soil during a ceremonial tree planting with UND landscaping staff at the university\u2019s annual Arbor Day celebration. Photo by Chloe Piekkola\/UND Today.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This year\u2019s planting added four new trees to that legacy. A Royal Red Maple will bring deep burgundy color each fall, while the Goodland Apple, a Manitoba variety dating back to the 1940s, may someday offer fruit. A Mystic Ruby Buckeye promises vivid spring blooms, and the Swedish Columnar Aspen will add height and structure to the campus landscape.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For UND arborist Jared Johnson<\/a><\/strong>, the four trees\u00a0represent\u00a0just one piece of a much larger campus plan.\u00a0Tree\u00a0selection, he said, is intentional, with diversity playing a key role in\u00a0maintaining\u00a0a healthy and resilient canopy.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t want what they call\u00a0a monoculture,\u201d Johnson said.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

An overreliance on a single tree species can leave entire landscapes vulnerable when disease or invasive pests strike. Johnson pointed to the impact of Dutch elm disease and the growing concern over emerald ash borer as examples.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The annual Arbor Day celebration recognizes the work that happens year-round to maintain UND\u2019s campus canopy, from planting and pruning to long-term planning. That ongoing stewardship has earned UND recognition from the Arbor Day Foundation through its Tree Campus Higher Education program.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Fulfilling this commitment, Johnson said UND plants as many as 200 trees a year while filling open spaces across campus and intentionally diversifying the canopy.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With that, Shock addressed the audience with one final reminder.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBy planting a tree today, you\u2019re keeping a promise for the next generation of the UND community,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

****<\/p>\n

>> Questions or comments about the <\/em><\/strong>UND LEADS Strategic Plan<\/em><\/strong><\/a>?<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Your thoughts are welcome! Please contact <\/em>Ryan Zerr<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, associate vice president for Strategy & Implementation, or <\/em>Brandon Wallace<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, senior financial accountant, the co-chairs of the UND LEADS Implementation Committee. You also may offer your thoughts by visiting the <\/em>UND LEADS Strategic Plan home page<\/em><\/strong><\/a>\u00a0and clicking on the \u201cProvide your feedback\u201d link.<\/em><\/p>\n

Thank you for your support of the UND LEADS Strategic Plan!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Planting ceremony outside Merrifield Hall aligns with UND\u2019s recognition through Arbor Day Foundation\u2019s Tree Campus Higher Education program\u00a0 Editor\u2019s note:\u00a0In the UND LEADS Strategic Plan,\u00a0the “Affinity” core value includes a call to “promote sustainable practices critical to the long-term health, well-being, and success of the University community.” The following story describes how UND goes to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":260,"featured_media":47361,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[1126],"class_list":["post-47355","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-around-und","tag-affinity"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nNew trees take root at UND\u2019s annual Arbor Day celebration - UND Today<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Planting ceremony outside Merrifield Hall aligns with UND\u2019s recognition through Arbor Day Foundation\u2019s Tree Campus Higher Education program\u00a0\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.und.edu\/und-today\/2026\/05\/new-trees-take-root-at-unds-annual-arbor-day-celebration\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"New trees take root at UND\u2019s annual Arbor Day celebration - 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