DeKALB – NIU has been awarded $475,000 to plant 450 trees across campus over the next four years.
The award is from the Morton Arboretum’s Chicago Region Trees Initiative.
The award was provided to close to 40 nonprofits, government entities and other eligible groups through Inflation Reduction Act Funding to the U.S Department of Agriculture Forest Service.
The trees will be planted near residence halls and areas with high foot traffic for students getting to classes.
NIU President Lisa Freeman explained students will benefit most from the project.
“This exciting project supports our goals for enhancing climate resilience through increased shade coverage in highly trafficked areas, which is especially important for students who rely on walking or biking,” Freeman said. “This project additionally offers exciting opportunities for student involvement through internships, capstone projects and community outreach initiatives.”
The project also seeks to address food insecurity among students by donating harvested fruits and nuts from the trees to the student food pantry and campus dining services.
Courtney Gallaher, who serves as NIU’s director of Campus Sustainability, said NIU students will be involved in the process, including taking inventories, selecting locations, planning and care, creation of educational material, and community events. NIU plans to invite members of the Student Government Association to participate and receive feedback from the City of DeKalb.
Gallaher said the trees are expected to be 7 to 8 feet tall when planted. Fruit and nut trees could arrive as soon as the fall 2025 semester. Shade trees are expected to be planted in 2026 and 2027.
“This project is great news for the entire NIU community,” Gallaher said. “We know that living and working in areas with more green space has been shown to be good for people’s physical and mental health.
This project is in line with NIU’s Sustainability and Climate Action Plan, which outlines goals such as monitoring and reducing CO2 emissions in the future.
