March 4, 2021

Media Contact:
Joan Qazi, WVC sustainability coordinator, jqazi@wvc.edu
Libby Siebens, community relations executive director, 509-682-6436 (Mon.-Thurs.)

This month, the Arbor Day Foundation recognized Wenatchee Valley College as a Tree Campus Higher Education college for the second year in a row. Tree Campus Higher Education, a national program launched in 2008 by the Arbor Day Foundation, honors colleges and universities for promoting healthy trees, effective campus forest management and engaging students and staff in conservation goals.

WVC achieved the title by meeting Tree Campus Higher Education’s five standards, which include maintaining a tree advisory committee, adhere to and report on tree care management, dedicated annual expenditures for its campus tree program, an Arbor Day observance and student service-learning project.

This year, WVC’s service-learning project will focus on student leadership and education. Students can attend multiple events to learn more about sustainability, native planting and more.

• March 8, 15, 22 and 29: Every Monday in March at 7 p.m., the Cascadia Conservation District is offering free native plant workshops. Workshops cover selection, planting and care of native plants, noxious weed prevention and firewise planting. Learn more and register at cascadiacd.org.
• April 19-20: WVC is hosting a free, two-day youth leadership training workshop in Sustainable Development. It will feature speakers from UNICEF as well as sustainability non-profit leaders from around the region. Students can earn a certificate for completing their sustainability training once done. Register for this event at wvc.edu/Sustainability.
• April 22: For this year’s Earth Day Celebration, WVC is hosting sustainability-focused writers Ross Gay and Scott Russell Sanders for a poetry reading and conversation with WVC’s Sustainability Committee. Register for this event at wvc.edu/Sustainability.

Learn more about these events and sustainability on WVC campuses by visiting the “Events” page at wvc.edu/Sustainability.

WVC plans to compete for the Tree Campus Higher Education title again next year. Currently, there are 403 campuses across the United States with this recognition. Learn more about Tree Campus Higher Education at arborday.org.

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Wenatchee Valley College enriches North Central Washington by serving educational and cultural needs of communities and residents throughout the service area. The college provides high-quality transfer, liberal arts, professional/technical, basic skills and continuing education for students of diverse ethnic and economic backgrounds. Visit our website, wvc.edu.

Wenatchee Valley College is committed to a policy of equal opportunity in employment and student enrollment. All programs are free from discrimination and harassment against any person because of race, creed, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a service animal by a person with a disability, age, parental status or families with children, marital status, religion, genetic information, honorably discharged veteran or military status or any other prohibited basis per RCW 49.60.030, 040 and other federal and state laws and regulations, or participation in the complaint process. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies and Title IX compliance for both the Wenatchee and Omak campuses:

• To report discrimination or harassment: Title IX Coordinator, Wenatchi Hall 2322M, (509) 682-6445, title9@wvc.edu.
• To request disability accommodations: Director of Student Access, Wenatchi Hall 2133, (509) 682-6854, TTY/TTD: dial 711, sas@wvc.edu.