Most days we’re all looking down at our phones, but Earth Day gives us a reason to look up.
Yes, I’m a lover of trees. That feeling—of looking up, of slowing down—is also what can make a campus feel like the right place. And a few signature trees, no matter the size or location of an institution, can create moments of connection.
In a high-tech, noisy world, trees can offer a quiet, reassuring presence of something stable and just plain lovely. Poets and authors over time return to trees for inspiration. Katie Holten’s book The Language of Trees is proof of the magic and legacy of trees and is just a joy to behold. (Even visually, the book inspires, featuring an alphabet created from the forms of actual trees.)
Where Connection Takes Root
I felt that connection with trees firsthand, touring campuses with my daughter. It was the sycamores, honeylocusts, and willow trees that rooted me during those emotional interactions of considering where she should attend.
My admiration for trees has been lifelong. As a birthday gift to myself, I earned a certification in sylvotherapy, or forest therapy. The training was online and perfect during busy weekend competitions where there was a lot of waiting. But the practice itself makes sense outside, though even admiring a tree through a window can be soothing. When we found the right campus for Lily, based on several key factors, I noticed something small but meaningful: the trees were marked, named, cared for. Maybe it’s a detail only tree huggers like me notice, but on a deeper level it said something about the kind of place it was.
The Question That Still Matters
Today, more than 400 U.S. colleges and universities are recognized as Tree Campus Higher Education institutions. Together, they’ve planted tens of thousands of trees, with some campuses managing more than 10,000 as part of long-term forestry plans. What might seem like basic maintenance is actually an investment in student well-being, a sense of place, and belonging.
It’s also a reminder of something we see every day in our enrollment marketing work: belonging is built in the physical experience of a campus. Prospective students might ask ChatGPT all kinds of questions during their search but it’s the questions that they ask themselves that truly impact their decision:
Do I see myself here? Is this a place where I can become more of who I really am and who I want to become?
Sometimes, the answer happens quietly. Maybe even under a tree.
Happy Earth Day!
