Staff Writer Kendra Bailey
The Arbor Day Celebration for Dallas College Richland Campus on Nov. 13 marked an eventful wave of activism amongst students. Arbor Day is a national holiday dedicated to celebrating trees, typically held in spring. It is celebrated in all 50 states and at many college campuses around the country.
The celebration at Richland involved students getting down and dirty, sticking their hands in the soil and planting trees. The event was informative and instructive, teaching students more about the economic, health and environmental benefits to trees.
The event began with several passionate speeches from members of the Texas Trees Foundation, a nonprofit organization that is passionate about saving the trees and working with local communities to inform them. Rachel McGregor, an Urban Forest Manager with TTF, is enthusiastic about working with a “passionate” group of students and giving them the information needed to make a positive impact on their environments.
“The biggest disconnect we see is that people just don’t know what trees actually do for them,” she said. “We want people to know that they can be involved too. They can have an impact on a city level, even in their own backyard.”
“I have more knowledge about trees than I did before,” said Jasmin Arriaga, a member of The Richland Green Team, about the effect that the Arbor Day Celebration had on her. “It’s changed my perspective in many ways.”
Namirah Fyrooz, president of the Richland Green Team, encourages those who are passionate about making a difference in their local environments to join the Green Team or volunteer at the various environmental activities the Green Team will have in the future. “I want to keep doing things like this,” Fyrooz said. “We’re just trying to make everybody aware.”
Another member of the Green Team, Azucena Madrigal, wants the student population to know that their activism spreads everywhere. “The student Green Team is more than just trees, that’s a misconception, Madrigal said.” The Green Team will be participating in cleanups, volunteer shelter work and many other activities that seek to change their local communities for the better.
Those interested in environmental or community activism are encouraged to join the Richland Green Team on Fridays at noon in Pecos Hall. “Come join us. Come get involved,” said Tara Urbanski, geology and environmental science professor at Dallas College. She is confident in her belief that The Green Team is a part of a wave of passionate, young individuals who are bound to make a positive change in the world. “You can tell they really want to make a difference in their community and the environment as well … it gives me a lot of hope for the future,” she said.
For more information about the Arbor Day celebration or how to get involved, visit the Texas Tree Foundation’s website at https://www.texastrees.org/txu-energy-urban-tree-farm-and-education-center/ or search Dallas Urban Masterplan.
