Judson Edeburn, a member of Duke's tree advisory committee, examines an East Campus oak last summer. Photo credit: Duke University Photography

Durham, NC - Amid the oaks, pines, cherries, ashes and other mature trees that helped make Duke one of the first colleges to be designated a Tree Campus USA, university and city officials will gather on Arbor Day to plant trees and give out free tree saplings to area residents.

The ceremony will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 21, by the East Campus Gazebo. During the ceremony, Duke will be honored by the National Arbor Day Foundation for its efforts in preserving the forested character of the campus.

Duke is the first university in North Carolina to be named a Tree Campus USA, a new national program honoring universities for promoting healthy urban forest management and engaging the campus community in environmental stewardship.

"Not only do the trees at Duke help beautify the campus, they also play a role in decreasing carbon emissions by shading buildings, which reduces energy use, and by storing carbon in their limbs, trunks and root systems," said Robert Healy, a professor emeritus at Duke's Nicholas School of the Environment and a member of Duke's new campus tree advisory committee.

The university will be honored at the ceremony by the Arbor Day Foundation, which sponsors the Tree Campus USA initiative. At the same time, Durham city officials will be recognized as being named a Tree City USA for the 26^th year.

The ceremony is open to the public, and the city's Urban Forestry staff will provide free tree saplings to all attendees. The free tree saplings will be given out on a first-come, first-serve basis until supplies run out.

Mayor William V. "Bill" Bell will attend and make remarks around 12:30 p.m. Members of the Duke administration and the campus tree advisory committee also will make remarks.

The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. with the planting of as many as 25 trees on different sites around campus. Six redbud trees have been donated by the student Campus Council; 10 replacement oaks will be planted in existing groves on East and West campus; eight other oaks will be planted in new areas on Central Campus; one cherry tree, donated to Duke by the city of Durham will also be planted.

Parking for the public is limited on campus.