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Students, faculty and staff gathered on the Â鶹´«Ã½'s (Â鶹´«Ã½) Oconee Campus on April 25 to celebrate Â鶹´«Ã½’s designation as a .

Seth Hawkins, a regional specialist from the Georgia Forestry Commission, talked about the importance of planting trees and maintaining urban forests.

Dr. Cyndee Perdue Moore, executive director of the Oconee Campus, read a proclamation declaring April 25, 2018, as Oconee Arbor Day. 

"Whereas all of Georgia benefits from forestry, which contributes billions of dollars annually to our state’s economy and provides employment for more than 100,000 people, now, therefore, I do hereby proclaim April 25, 2018, as Arbor Day on Â鶹´«Ã½'s Oconee Campus and encourage our campus to plant trees thus leaving a legacy for present and future generations," Moore read.

Susan Brantley, a lecturer in biology at Â鶹´«Ã½, and Melissa Hopkinson, a part-time Instructor of geography, geology and Earth science in Â鶹´«Ã½'s Institute for Environment and Spatial Analysis, presented the campus with a newly planted dogwood tree and an Arbor Day plaque.

Tree Campus USA is a national recognition for colleges and universities that meet five standard criteria: establishing a committee, developing a tree care plan, dedicating funds to care for trees, celebrating Arbor Day, and instituting a service-learning project. Â鶹´«Ã½ first earned the Tree Campus USA designation in 2016, and a tree was planted in recognition at the Gainesville campus; one was also planted in Cumming in 2017 to recognize that campus.  Next year’s ceremony will be held on the Dahlonega Campus.