For an institution devoted to expanding its diverse collection of trees and plants, Arbor Day is a holiday that calls for a special celebration at Lander University.
On December 4, Lander will host a public ceremony and tree planting in honor of South Carolina's Arbor Day. The ceremony will begin at 10:50 a.m. in front of Laura Lander Hall on the university's campus, and it will feature the reading of a proclamation by Greenwood Mayor Welborn Adams and a flag presentation by members of Lander's ROTC.
Community leaders and Lander faculty, staff and students will be on hand for the event, which is open to the public. The Greenwood Council of Garden Clubs has donated an Eastern Redbud to be planted during the ceremony. It is the fourth year in a row that the council has celebrated Arbor Day by planting a tree on the Lander campus.
The Eastern Redbud and its location were selected as part of Lander's Arboretum project, which was formed in 2004 and is focused on building a diverse collection of native and non-native plants and trees throughout Lander's campus. The goal of the project is to not only beautify the campus, but also to serve as a "living laboratory" in which students and community members can study the variety of flora that thrive in South Carolina's climate.
The Lander Arboretum committee relies on donations to keep the project going. Trees planted for the project include identification plaques or labels, and donors can choose to honor or memorialize friends and loved ones on those plaques. For information about Lander Arboretum donation and giving opportunities, contact the Office of University Advancement at 864-388-8350.