Introduction

University Standing Committees

Policy Descriptions Alphabetical List Reporting List Members Annual Reports

Arboretum Committee

Annual Report for 2004 - 2005

Members

The members of the 2004-05 Arboretum Committee were Dr. Ann Marie Bush, Dr. Leonard G. Herman, Dr. Linda Partridge, Ms. Roseann Martinetti, Ms. Ann Williams, Chris Kudrick (Pugwash Representative), Ms.Tish Last, Ms. Renee Zehel and Mr. Mark Burns.

Meetings

Nine meetings were held between September 2004 and April 2005.

Accomplishments

At the beginning of the academic year a number of items were put on the agenda for review for the upcoming year. The following are the main objectives put forth and executed by the committee:

1. Plan and execute an Earth Day program to fulfill an educational component required for a grant in the amount $15,000 from Urban Forestry.
   
2. Apply for a grant to help fund the growth of the Arboretum from the Overlook Estate Foundation. The purpose of this grant would be to purchase signage for shrubs, which are not yet identified, some additional tree signs, and to update the walking tour maps and the maps located at four kiosks throughout campus.

The Committee decided that we should have a weeklong series of events, rather that one day, to celebrate Earth Day. The week began with a "Plant Your Own Seeds" program and the movie "Ferngully". All movies listed are environmentally themed and sponsored by Pugwash ECO. The next day, Tuesday, the Arboretum Committee sponsored a presentation called "Close Encounters With Birds of Prey" by the Delaware Valley Raptor Center, Milford, PA. That evening Pugwash ECO sponsored "ECO-Survivor", a television reality type game. On Wednesday Pugwash ECO sponsored a "Recycled Fashion Show". Thursday was the Pugwash picnic and Earth Day program. The day not only included a free picnic but poetry readings, most of which were presented by Marywood University International students in their own language and then translated to English, a $250 check presented to Clare Rauch, a senior graphic design student at Marywood, for her winning logo for the Earth Day Logo Contest which was open to the entire Marywood community. There were also two guest speakers, Joyce Hatala and Bernie McGurl.

Joyce Hatala is the director of the environmental institute at Lackawanna College and her topic was on "Defining Sustainability: Implications for Daily Living". Bernie McGurl is the executive director of the Lackawanna River Corridor Association. Bernie presented a video called "Lackawanna River: A New Tomorrow. The weeklong program wrapped up on Friday with a presentation on the "Life Cycle of Butterflies" by Brenda Spangenberg of the Lackawanna Audubon Society. The presentation was made to the children of both the Fricchione Day Care Center and the Domiano Early Childhood Center.

I should also mention that Marywood received two awards during the Earth Day program. Because of Pugwash ECO's hard work and dedication, they accepted the awards for Marywood. The first award was from Community Energy Inc to Marywood for the purchase of 15% clean energy through wind power. Marywood is one of only four Pennsylvania schools of higher education to purchase wind energy. The second award was from PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) to Marywood for the PETA Compassionate Campus Award for providing vegetarian meals in its dining facilities.

In January the Arboretum received a grant in the amount of $2,430.00 from the Overlook Estate Foundation for our request to update the walking tour maps, the four kiosks and for additional signage for shrubs and trees.

Lastly I would like to mention that the Committee wrote a position paper on trying to save a stand of 150-year-old Oak trees at the site of the new Athletic and Wellness Center. This paper along with a support letter from Vinnie Cottrone of the Penn State Cooperative Extension was presented to the President for her consideration. Mr. Leo Danylak, Vice President of Business Affairs and Ms. Wendy Yankelitis, Director of Physical Plant at one of our committee meetings graciously acknowledged our position. They thanked us for our concern as a committee and that the University took every possible action to protect as many trees as was physically possible and that the stand of Oaks in question could not be saved due to their location on the site.

Submitted by

Mark Burns, Chair

June 16, 2005