University Honors Arbor and Earth Days
with Campus Wide Planting

Philadelphia University students, faculty and staff celebrated Arbor and Earth Days last Tuesday with a planting behind The Kanbar Campus Center.

The planting featured non-invasive vegetation indigenous to the University and Fairmont Park areas, such as the Southern Arrowwood shrub whose fragrant spring flowers and straight branches were historically used by Native Americans to create arrows.

During the event, staff from Brickman, the University’s landscaping service, demonstrated proper planting and faculty and students gave brief overviews of the species being planted and the significance of the celebration.

“We chose native or non-invasive species that have wildlife habitat and foraging features as well as winter interest, spring flowering or brilliant fall foliage,” said assistant professor of Biology Anne Bower, co-coordinator of the event. In addition, the planting seeks to resolve storm water run-off in the area and serve as a hands-on laboratory for storm-water management and landscape-integration instruction, as well as provide an attractive place on campus for community members to gather.

Sponsored by the University, the event was proposed by freshman Carolyn Steinberg, Environmental and Conservation Biology; and organized by Prof. Bower; Rachel Wilson, associate professor of Biology; Claudia Phillips, associate professor of Landscape Architecture; Tom Becker, assistant vice president of Operations for Physical Plant; Ben Suplick, director of Physical Plant; and Brickman staff members.

“Last week’s planting is the first step toward creating a full naturalistic environment behind The Kanbar Campus Center,” said Becker. “It was a great day and we hope to do more activities like this in the future.”


Above: (From left) Patti Wetzel ’10, Environmental and Conservation Biology, Carolyn Steinberg ’10, Environmental and Conservation Biology, and Anne Bower, assistant professor of Biology, gather for a photo at Philadelphia University's April 24 planting honoring Arbor and Earth Days.