PlantNebraska Trees for Nebraska Towns Initiative grant adds 15 trees to Concordia Nebraska campus

Concordia University, Nebraska recently received fifteen trees from the Trees for Nebraska Towns Initiative, an effort of PlantNebraska (formerly the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum) and the Nebraska Forest Service. 

In partnership with Trees for Nebraska Towns, Great Plains Nursery of Weston, Nebraska, delivered two Fall Fiesta® sugar maple trees, one shellbark hickory tree, two Kentucky coffeetrees, two American sycamore trees, two black cherry trees, two bur oak trees, two bald cypress trees and two American linden trees to the university in late September. The trees were planted throughout the Concordia Nebraska campus by a large group of university volunteers on Thursday, October 8. 

"National Management Resources is excited to partner with volunteers from Concordia Nebraska and Plant Nebraska through the Nebraska Towns Initiative Tree Grant. This generous grant of 15 trees will help strengthen and support our urban forest, enhancing the beauty and environmental health of our campus for years to come. These trees will be enjoyed by generations of students, staff and community members, leaving a lasting legacy,” said Tommy Manning of National Management Resources. Manning serves the university as director of facilities. “After the significant tree loss caused by a summer 2023 storm and the recommendations from a comprehensive tree health survey completed with the Nebraska Forest Service, National Management Resources recognized the need to replenish and strengthen Concordia Nebraska’s urban forest. This grant provides an opportunity not only to replace trees that were lost or removed, but also to bring the campus community together in a positive effort to enhance the beauty and character of campus.” 

"This generous grant of 15 trees will help strengthen and support our urban forest, enhancing the beauty and environmental health of our campus for years to come. These trees will be enjoyed by generations of students, staff and community members, leaving a lasting legacy for the future."

Concordia Nebraska is one of 110 accredited and administered sites in the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum (NSA).  The NSA is a network of arboreta, botanical gardens, parks and other public landscapes across Nebraska. The Concordia Nebraska campus has been recognized for its ample green space, which features a curated collection of trees and shrubs carefully chosen to beautify the university and benefit the community at large. 

Trees for Nebraska Towns states that many Nebraska community forests have lost far more trees than have been planted in recent decades. Loss can occur due to extreme weather, insects, disease and lack of diversity. In an effort to stop tree loss and increase community forest resilience, the Trees for Nebraska Towns program grants high-quality trees for community projects, celebrations and educational events promoting trees and fall planting. The program seeks not only to plant more trees to offer shade and beautify spaces, but also to increase appreciation and awareness of the significant value of community forests in Nebraska. Special emphasis is placed on species diversity and higher impact projects, especially street tree planting and projects in neighborhoods of highest need. Concordia University, Nebraska was one of many organizations that received a gift of trees from the organization this year.   

PlantNebraska’s Trees for Nebraska Towns Initiative is funded by the Nebraska Environmental Trust and the USDA Forest Service through grants received by both PlantNebraska and the Nebraska Forest Service. 

About Concordia University, Nebraska: Concordia University, Nebraska, founded in 1894, is a fully accredited, coeducational university located in Seward, Nebraska, which currently serves more than 2,500 students. Concordia offers more than 100 undergraduate, graduate and professional programs in an excellent academic and Christ-centered community that equips men and women for lives of learning, service and leadership in the church and world. For more information, visit cune.edu.