Oklahoma State University celebrated its 16th annual Arbor Day tree planting on March 23 on the north side of Whitehurst Hall.

In partnership with OSU Facilities Management and Landscape Services, along with the Society of American Foresters, the event stands to support OSU’s commitment to sustainability and tree stewardship on campus.

During the ceremony, participants gathered to plant a Legacy Sugar Maple. This tree grows up to 40 to 60 feet tall and can withstand heat and drought, symbolizing long-term growth and environmental initiatives on campus.

“Each and every one of you is leaving a legacy here on campus, and today is all about legacy in more ways than one,” OSU arborist Caitlin Gipson said.

The event marked the beginning of OSU’s weeklong Arbor Day celebration. While National Arbor Day is observed in April, the university recognizes Arbor Week during the last full week of March.

OSU has formally celebrated Arbor Day since 2011, when it earned designation as a Tree Campus USA institution. Today, the university’s urban forest includes more than 4,000 trees, a journey that began with a single eastern red cedar near Old Central.

“We went from one tree to over 4,000 trees, and growing every year,” said OSU alumnus Riley Cooley, urban and community forestry coordinator for the state of Oklahoma.

The annual celebration highlights the role trees play in shaping both the environment and campus identity. President Jim Hess was one of the many university leaders in attendance promoting these ideas.

“The beauty of this place is what makes it different,” Dr. Hess said. “The beauty of this place is beyond measure.”

The Society of American Foresters student chapter helped organize and participate in the planting, continuing a long-standing partnership with campus landscape teams.

“There are lots of universities across this country, but if you look at the urban forest that has been created inside this campus, it's like no other in the United States,” Hess said.

In addition to Hess’ remarks, he invited John Houck, a previous OSU physical plant director and tree donor, to announce his commitment to future Arbor Day celebrations to come.

“Today, I am going to donate another tree to this campus, and I'm going to do it each Arbor week, as long as I can,” Houck said.

Gipson encouraged participants to think about the future students and environment of the OSU campus, and what these planting ceremonies truly reflect.

“I challenge you to think of future generations of the Cowboy family who will enjoy the tree at its maturity, enjoying those altruistic characteristics and benefits, enjoying the legacy that only a tree can be,” Gipson said.

As OSU continues to grow its campus canopy, the Arbor Week celebration serves as a reminder that each planting contributes to a legacy that will benefit generations of Cowboys to come.

“In the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, ‘Remember, the creation of 1,000 forests is in one acorn, and the planting of that one acorn starts with you,’” Cooley said.

OSU 16th Annual Arbor Day Celebration

Story By: Annelise Vinson | annelise.vinson@okstate.edu