Throughout the past decade, over 100 trees have been planted across Yale’s campus as part of the staff service anniversary recognition program. The program, which started as a grassroots movement, has grown to include an annual Arbor Day celebration, a twice-a-year tree service project, a comprehensive tree care plan, and a dedicated budget.
From gifts to green
When Yale employees reach their 10-year work anniversary (and every subsequent 5-year milestone), they are eligible to select a gift from a catalog as part of the staff service recognition program. Brenda Naegel, whose team manages the program, was asked by a handful of colleagues about adding some green options to the catalog, which already included items like jewelry, electronics, smaller household appliances, and Yale-branded merchandise.
“Sometime in 2012, several individuals from different departments contacted me asking for other choices beyond what was offered on the standard gift list. It got me thinking about how this program could benefit the environment,” said Naegel, director of recognition and engagement.
Inspired, Naegel contacted colleagues in the Office of Sustainability and Urban Resources Initiative (URI) to discuss green alternatives. After two years of discussions that included forming an advisory committee and partnering with URI and the Office of Facilities to determine funding, where to place the trees, and maintenance schedules, an option to select a tree was added to the anniversary gift catalog.
“Since its inception, 101 service-anniversary trees have been planted across campus by 400 honorees and volunteers. Staff who choose a tree as their gift bring their families and managers to the tree service events,” said Naegel.
Staff tree plantings usually coincide with the Yale Day of Service, when alumni worldwide volunteer within their communities. This past April three trees—two red maples and a saucer magnolia—were planted outside Luce Hall on Hillhouse Avenue, to coincide with a panel discussion at the MacMillan Center highlighting Ethiopian Church Forests.
The exact locations of all the service trees can be found on URI’s online map.
Partners in planting
URI receives and tracks the service recognition orders and coordinates the spring and fall events—when tree planting conditions are optimal. The URI team has the equipment, tools, and expertise to support this exercise. Volunteers, including Yale students, alumni, and, on occasion, members of the New Haven community, also help dig, plant, and water the trees.
“We work closely with Facilities’ landscape and grounds team to determine what species of trees to order and where on campus to place them,” said Anna Pickett, development and outreach manager at URI. “We invite honorees to come and plant their trees or simply participate in the event.”
“I think it is neat that Yale has this option for staff to plant a tree and that it marks Arbor Day with many activities. Those trees are a great benefit to the campus and the environment. Individuals can visit their trees and know there is a special place on campus where they left a small legacy,” added William Carone, supervisor for landscape and grounds.
“Many of these trees will be here for 100 years or longer. I think this program is a nice way to honor staff and contribute to the overall beauty of the campus,” said Chris Ozyck, associate director at URI.
Yale staff with at least 10 years of service celebrated at a tree planting in April. Photo by Barsbold Enkhbold.
“As Yale strives to be a leader in planetary solutions, we aim to practice and model environmental stewardship for our own community on campus. The plant-a-tree program is a great example of that. This staff recognition program has grown over the years and helps advance the stewardship of our campus,” said Amber Garrard, director for the Office of Sustainability. “The trees provide shade, improve air and water quality and biodiversity, enhance our green spaces to support mental and physical health, and encourage us to come together and build community as we plant, care for, and enjoy these trees.”
National Arbor Day Foundation Recognition
Over the past decade, the plant-a-tree program has expanded to include an annual Arbor Day celebration with nature walks, wellness sessions, and other learning opportunities.
After realizing that Yale might be eligible for national recognition for its Arbor Day activities and tree-planting program, Naegel explored the National Arbor Day Foundation’s (NADF) recognition criteria, saw a fit, and applied. For the past two years, the university has received Tree Campus Higher Education, an honor resulting from the collaborative efforts of the Campus Tree Advisory Committee made up of staff from the Office of Sustainability, Facilities, Office of Public Affairs and Communications, and URI.
Yale joins 411 university and college campuses across the U.S. in meeting the NADF’s five vigorous standards, two of which include an annual campus-wide celebration to enhance learning about the benefits of trees and 500 volunteer tree-planting hours by students, alumni, faculty, and staff.
Yale staff enjoyed tours and walks during sunny Arbor Day celebrations.
Yale University is committed to building a more sustainable world. Through innovative research, progressive practices, and community engagement, and guided by scientific consensus around the need to decarbonize, the Yale Planetary Solutions initiative is accelerating the university’s response to a rapidly changing planet, on campus and far beyond.
