Roots on Campus 

“Roots on Campus” is a tree planting series based on UC Davis campus operating through the UC Carbon Neutrality Initiative (CNI) Fellowship program. Over the course of two separate volunteer events in April 2019, members of the UC Davis community have the exciting opportunity to both literally put roots on campus as well as make a more lasting mark of their presence by contributing to reducing its carbon footprint.

As trees appreciate in value over time, students, staff and faculty will start to make connections to the long-term benefits that trees can provide to the overall quality of urban life. Both days rely on the stewardship of volunteers to plant twelve trees total (six trees per day) and will educate volunteers on the work UC Davis is contributing to the CNI.

As an integral component to help visualize long-term impact, volunteers participate in a “carbon calculator” activity to estimate the amount of biomass and carbon stored in a tree over varying ages, as well as the amount sequestered annually. This software additionally provides information on energy conservation. The project also installs interpretive signage throughout campus to bring awareness to the benefits of trees and the CNI.