On Friday April 25, in Parking Lot 1 next to the CSI Baseball Field, students got their hands dirty learning how to plant their own trees at CSI Sustainability’s Arbor Day event.

During this time of the year, it’s not always easy predicting how the temperature can be during the spring when winter is fading away. Some students who attended the Arbor Day Tree Planting event last year said that the weather was unfortunately cold, unlike this year’s event. The weather was warm and the sun was out, which allowed the freshly planted trees to start growing during the right time and the right place.

Beside the bleachers of the baseball field, groups of students picked a spot, grabbed some shovels, and began digging holes in the ground for their trees to sit. Before planting the trees, students took a few minutes to learn about the soil beneath them and how it’s produced. Lecturer Sean Thatcher spoke to his students and others about weathering, as did NYPIRG Project Coordinator Kirby Sikes.

“Soil comes from the bedrock, and over time, rocks and minerals break down and can chemically and physically provide a nutrient-rich soil for plants and trees to thrive in,” said Sikes.

CSI Sustainability Program Manager Nora Santiago also demonstrated the process of keeping the tree secure and the few steps it takes to refill the hole with the right natural resources. After a sizeable hole is dug, students grounded the trees, allowing them to cover it with natural resources like peat moss and soil. Mark Tarter, a second-year Accounting major, spoke about how the event benefits the campus.

“For the campus, this event helps it look prettier and…it also makes a mark and is something you leave on campus.”

Evan Brown who is a senior at CSI agreed, explaining how he’s helped out with the Sustainability Program’s efforts when asked if he’s ever gone to one of their events.

“I’ve gone to quite a few, I haven’t planted trees before like this but there’s a mini garden near the Campus Center where they plant crops, and I’ve helped with that,” said Brown. “I’m helping the campus by giving it trees and reducing the campus’s carbon footprint. I also like coming back to where we planted the tree and remembering the process while being able to see the results in real time.”

By Kyle Cicero