For Arbor Day 2019, Hofstra Adds Pink-Flowering Dogwoods to its Campus Arboretum

On April 24, four pink-flowering dogwood trees were planted on the Hofstra campus in Hempstead, Long Island in celebration of Arbor Day 2019. The planting is part of an ongoing effort by the university’s Tree Advisory Committee to create a greener Hofstra.

“Urban street trees, which can be seen on Hofstra’s campus, provide benefits economically and psychologically that far exceed what the eye can see,” said biology major Penelope Ramos ’20. “Hofstra strives to be at the forefront of educating and setting the example for surrounding local governments and future generations.”

Hofstra’s 240-acre campus received official recognition as an Arboretum in 1985, becoming a member of the prestigious American Public Gardens Association. It is one of only 430 arboreta in the United States. Today, the campus boasts more than 12,000 evergreen and deciduous trees that represent 625 species. “Overall, the Tree Advisory Committee’s goal is to connect the campus community to the trees at Hofstra; have students, faculty, and staff learn more about the important ecosystem services that trees provide; and to provide an advisory role when major changes on campus will influence tree cover,” said Steve Raciti, an assistant professor in the Department of Biology and committee chair.

Creating a Tree Advisory Committee was a requirement for the university to be certified as a Tree Campus USA community. In addition to Ramos and Raciti, others on the committee include: Russell Burke, a professor in Hofstra’s Department of Biology; Fred Soviero, director of Grounds and Landscaping; Nancy Richner, executive director of the Hofstra University Museum of Art; and Vincent Drzewucki, a Horticulture Resource Educator and Certified Arborist at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Nassau County.  —Text Courtesy News@Hofstra