FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Fruit trees planted on the east side of the IU Bloomington campus mark the start of a partnership by Indiana University and the Bloomington Community Orchard in a project to grow food and produce environmental benefits.
The seven apple trees were donated by the Bloomington Community Orchard and its student affiliate group, BCO-IU, in an effort initiated by the IU Office of Sustainability Land Use and Environmental Quality working group.
“Part of the power of our working groups is that they create the space for these types of productive partnerships to emerge,” said Andrew Predmore, assistant director of the IU Office of Sustainability.
“All trees planted on the campus are important because they hold our valuable soil in place, sequester carbon dioxide to slow climate change and provide shade that reduces energy consumption. Fruit trees add another set of benefits. Perhaps most importantly, the food they provide improves our connection to the campus, and this connectedness often leads to improved stewardship.”
The apple trees were planted as part of an Arbor Day event April 24 organized by the IU Campus Division and Architect’s Office in partnership with BCO-IU, the Integrated Program in the Environment and the Office of Sustainability.
Volunteers planted 39 trees on the west side of Rose Avenue Residence Hall and near the Wright Education Building, including red maple, bur oak, American beech, chinquapin oak and apple. Burney Fischer, clinical professor in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs professor, provided instructions on how best to plant trees in an urban/suburban environment.
BCO-IU will work with Campus Division to ensure that the fruit trees are properly cared for, from periodic pruning and proper pest management to harvesting. Both groups hope for additional plantings in the future.
“I can’t even begin to express how honored and excited we are for the opportunity to partner with IU to launch our shared vision for a fruitful campus,” BSO-IU President Teresa Dunn said. “On a larger scale, we hope this project helps contribute to the local, regional and national conversations about establishing sustainable, community-driven food systems.”
The Arbor Day tree planting also launched a volunteer IU Bloomington tree inventory. David Massey, a graduate student in the Department of Geography, and Meghan Ploch, an Office of Sustainability student intern, worked with University Information Technology Services staff member Justin Peters and IU Architect’s Office GIS analyst Dana Bissey to create a system in which students can use smartphones and a free app called “Arc Collector” to inventory trees on campus. The data can be automatically uploaded to a Geographic Information Systems map.
The Office of Sustainability will plan additional volunteer tree inventory events this summer and next academic year in an effort to create a comprehensive tree inventory for the IU Bloomington campus.
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