The Arbor Day Foundation recently named Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College a Tree Campus USA for the fifth year in a row.  Grounds Manager Brad Barbee said that caring for Georgia’s natural resources is a top priority at ABAC, and it is an honor to receive the recognition.

To obtain this distinction, ABAC met the five core standards, which included sustaining a tree advisory committee, a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures for its campus tree program, an Arbor Day observance, and the sponsorship of student service-learning projects.

The Tree Campus USA program, administered by the Arbor Day Foundation in Lincoln, Neb., provides the framework for community forestry management for college campuses across the United States that meet the requirements. By earning Tree Campus USA recognition, ABAC has shown its commitment to protecting and preserving valuable tree resources and will reap benefits for generations of students to come.

There are 19 Tree Campus locations in Georgia and 344 Tree Campus designations across the United States.  Due to Georgia's ideal winter tree planting season, the third Friday in February is designated as Arbor Day in Georgia.