Building upon GovState's arboretum accreditation
By Sarah Shoaf, Staff Writer
In the spring, some Governors State University (GovState) Occupational Therapy students will be looking for the ideal meditation tree in support of the Arboretum Enhancement Project (AEP) on campus.
The project builds on GovState’s arboretum status, according to Erin Gutiérrez, Executive Director of GovState’s Family Development Center (FDC). GovState received Level 1 Accreditation in April 2022 through ArbNet, a registry program developed by the Morton Arboretum to set standards and encourage the planting and conservation of trees.
To further build on this status, the project has three main goals: establish the arboretum as a living lab for all ages, promote health and wellness by encouraging mutual flourishing of all living beings on the GovState campus, and honor the University’s commitment to integrate environmental health and justice into an arboretum stewardship plan.
Gutiérrez received a mini-grant from the Office of Institutional Engagement and Excellence, in addition to a Tree Campus Jumpstart Stipend, to fund this arboretum project.
“The funding will allow a company to come in and ID and GPS locate the trees,” said Gutiérrez, who shared that Davey Resource Group has been to GovState to complete an inventory of trees near the walking paths on campus. “We will purchase signage for each tree that will have a QR code that leads back to our website.”
She added that the webpage will host educational content for all ages, some geared towards students, parents, and teachers. There will also be traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) workshops as well as partnerships with other organizations.
“We will partner with the Mbwakawen Harambee Collective to co-create an arboretum management plan,” said Gutiérrez.
While some partnerships are with external groups, many of the AEP’s collaborations are with campus staff and faculty.
The current interdisciplinary collaborations are:
- Frank Czuba’s (Assistant Professor in College of Health and Human Services/CHHS) occupational therapy students will determine a good meditation tree.
- Czuba’s occupational therapy students will create a downloadable exercise circuit for the arboretum.
- Cari Didion (Science Librarian and Associate Professor) and Gutiérrez will create a children’s Story Stroll through the arboretum.
- Siobhan Dalrymple (Assistant Professor in College of Education and Human Development/CEHD), Lisa Pennington (Associate Professor in CEHD), and Amy Kelly (Associate Professor in CEHD) will create downloadable lesson plans for elementary-age children.
- FDC staff will create downloadable lesson plans for ECE-age children.
- Tim Pedigo (retired GovState Professor) will create a meditation audio for the meditation tree.
- Lisa Pennington (Associate Professor in CEHD) and Gutiérrez are partnering with the Mbwakawen Harambee Collective to provide TEK workshops for educators.
- Uday Shinde (Full Professor in College of Business/COB) will work with his students to create an Interfaith/Pluralism dedicated tree.
- Tay Rogers (Assistant Professor in College of Arts and Sciences/CAS) will help create assignments/lesson plans that engage this initiative from a humanities perspective.
- Mary Carrington (Dean of College of Graduate Studies) will provide educational content on the Butterfly Ranch prairie restoration area.
- Jeff Stevenson (Director & Curator of the Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park and Visual Arts Gallery) will work with Gutiérrez to develop an Alumni Grove.
- John Yunger (Full Professor in CAS) will work with students in a new summer course where they will identify trees and provide geospatial reference data for the arboretum.
As a Level 1 site, the Arboretum at GovState joins venues such as golf courses and zoos to offer a home to more than 25 native species in a public space that promotes environmental stewardship and sustainability. With more than 750 acres, the University is home to a variety of plants and trees, as well as wildlife.
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Donation questions? Email engage@govst.edu or call 1.708.235.7510.