The High Point University family and community members are invited to campus for the Arbor Day Celebration on April 20 at 4 p.m. Pictured is from the 2022 Arbor Day Celebration.
HIGH POINT, N.C., April 18, 2023 – The High Point University family and community members are invited to campus for HPU’s annual Arbor Day Celebration on April 20 at 4 p.m. at the Cottrell Amphitheater. The event is free and open to the public.
This year’s event will feature various speakers, including HPU’s First Lady Mariana H. Qubein, who has spearheaded the transformation of the campus Arboretum and Botanical Gardens.
Representatives from the Arbor Day Foundation will present campus leaders with the Tree Campus Higher Education award for the 14th consecutive year during the event. Formerly known as Tree Campus USA, Tree Campus Higher Education is an Arbor Day Foundation program that honors universities, colleges and their leaders for promoting healthy trees and engaging students and staff in the spirit of conservation.
“Keeping HPU’s arboretum and gardens in optimum shape has been one of our primary goals,” said Qubein. “The beautiful campus environment provides a space for holistic learning and a place for rest.”
HPU is pleased to receive the Tree Campus Higher Education recognition, said Emma Martone, curator of the Mariana H. Qubein Arboretum and Botanical Gardens.
“This recognition is a testament to the work of our whole team to ensure the proper care and stewardship of the hundreds of trees on campus,” said Martone. “The trees in our arboretum and gardens bring life and beauty to our campus.”
The Mariana H. Qubein Arboretum and Botanical Gardens at HPU feature 3,700 different plants, including more than 700 varieties of trees. The arboretum and gardens feature several tree collections. These include 48 varieties of redbuds, 65 different varieties of dogwoods, 40 varieties of flowering cherries and 135 different varieties of magnolias.
The gardens are growing on HPU’s campus, with plans for a full-scale renovation and expansion of the Scarborough butterfly garden and the addition of hundreds of new plants throughout the campus gardens.
As is tradition, every person in attendance will receive a complimentary Bald Cypress provided by Pennybyrn to take home after the event. The presenting supporter of this year’s Arbor Day Celebration is Davey Tree. Price Landscaping and Pennybyrn also are sponsors. Parking and shuttle service will be available from the Qubein Center parking lot located at 1315 N. University Parkway. For more information, visit https://testwww.highpoint.edu/community.