Emily Dean/ Winonan

Winona State University has become the first university in the MnSCU system to receive recognition as a Tree Campus USA from the National Arbor Day Foundation.

Arboretum Director Gerald Landby said to earn the recognition Winona State had to meet the five core standards of being a 2014 Tree Campus USA, including having a budget for tree expenditures, an inventory and maintenance plan, a committee dedicated to the arboretum, recognition and celebration of arbor day, and a student service day.

This is Winona State’s first year of recognition, Landby said.

“We want to lead by example,” Landby said. “We would like more schools to be aware of this concept and have people be conscious of the environment and take care of it.”

According to Landby, Tree Campus USA is modeled after Tree City USA, which recognizes cities in the same criteria.

Landby said by fall the landscape on campus will be noticeably different in an effort to improve the campus landscaping.

“We are the department of first and last impressions,” Landby said. “The first thing students see when they come to campus is the condition of the landscape. I hope students can come on campus and see that it is familiar, but it is better maintained and has improved. A well-kept campus is a safer campus, and everyone likes to look at something beautiful.”

As well as general landscaping, Landby said changes were already in progress over spring break. Trees were torn down that were unsafe, and new trees were planted in appropriate places.

“Trees are a part of our infrastructure, and we need upkeep to maintain that infrastructure,” Landby said.

About 25 trees were removed from campus, and there are plans to keep maintaining and planting trees.

Arboretum committee member Kimberly Evenson said Winona State is using its arboretum as an educational environment for students and the community.

“The main thing we are trying to do is landscape in a more sustainable way. We want to use fewer pesticides and plant trees in places where they are appropriate,” Evenson said.

Friends of the Arboretum will be one project that will integrate the community into the arboretum. Community members will be able to volunteer their time to help with projects related to the arboretum and landscape.

Landby said he believes the award is just another way for Winona State to use its environment to impact the community.

“Tree Campus USA is great in that it raises environmental awareness among young people,” Landby said. “We are here to represent our community, and we want to educate people about plants and the environment.”