Recognizing the importance of trees to our urban environment, Transylvania University will participate in Lexington’s Tree Week from Oct. 12-19.
Activities include an art project, film screening and educational outreach.
“Events like this make people much more aware of trees in their environment,” said Sarah Bray, who is a biology professor and associate dean for academic affairs. For instance, shade helps save on energy costs by cooling buildings — plus trees add to our mental and physical well being. “Trees are a really easy way to get that nature hit,” Bray said. And from a teaching perspective, it’s also good to have a diversity of trees on campus.
For Tree Week, professor Zoé Strecker begins a series of workshops Oct. 15 that will expand on her “Lavish!” embroidery project. The installation pays homage to the wild, old growth forests on Pine Mountain. Contact Strecker to register for free lessons and guided embroidery sessions on Tuesday and Thursday evenings through mid-December. Spaces are limited and registration is required.
Also, the Transylvania Environmental Action League will show “The Lorax,” a movie that advocates saving trees, in Back Circle on Oct. 16.
Tree Week is sponsored by the University of Kentucky Urban Forest Initiative. Other events around town include a talk at the Central Library, tree planting and an urban forest bird walk.
“Tree Week is all about community engagement,” said Mary Arthur, a UK professor and co-leader of the Urban Forest Initiative. “People benefit from trees in so many ways. We hope to introduce folks to the obvious and not-so-obvious ways trees improve our health and enrich our lives.”
