SOU to Host Arbor Day Celebration

(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University, which recently earned 2014 Tree Campus USA recognition from the Arbor Day Foundation, will hold a series of Arbor Day-related events on campus on Wednesday, April 8, beginning at 9 a.m.
Highlighting the day’s activities will be a presentation by renowned mycologist Paul Stamets. Stamets has written six books on mushroom cultivation, use, and identification and received multiple awards and honors for his work. In 2014, Stamets was chosen by the American Association for the Advancement of Science to be an Invention Ambassador.
Stamets will be presenting in the McNeal Pavilion gymnasium. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. Parking will be marked and free, but also limited to a first come, first served basis.
Following the presentation from Paul Stamets, activities will move to the Rogue River Room inside the Stevenson Union at SOU, where Oregon State University urban forestry and arboriculture instructor Paul Ries will speak to attendees from 10:45 to 11:30 a.m. Next will be local arborist August Schilling, who will present from 11:30 a.m. to noon on topics include the health of our local urban forests and strategies for dealing with local pests.
At noon SOU President Roy Saigo will accept the University’s awards of Tree Campus USA from the Arbor Day Foundation and Tree of the Year from the City of Ashland. The presentations will wrap up with John Roden, who will discuss his research on climate cycles from stable isotope variation in tree rings and fog utilization by coastal redwoods. Barbara Saigo, who has authored several books and holds a PhD in Environmental Education, will give closing remarks.
The day will conclude with the SOU Landscape Services department along with Plant Oregon giving a hands-on volunteer planting demonstration from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Please join us and help plant some large trees and hundreds of small plants.
All of the day’s events are free and open to the public. Four Continuing Education Units will be available for those who qualify.
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About Southern Oregon University
Southern Oregon University provides outstanding student experiences, valued degrees, and successful graduates. SOU is known for excellence in faculty, intellectual creativity and rigor, quality and innovation in connected learning programs, and the educational benefits of its unique geographic location. SOU was the first university in Oregon—and one of the first in the nation—to offset 100 percent of its energy use with clean, renewable power, and it is the first university in the nation to balance 100% of its water consumption. Visit sou.edu.