Reimagining Green Spaces on Salem State Campus Using Urban Trees

Abstract

Urban trees have become an increasingly popular tool for climate resiliency and a valuable community investment. The benefits of trees range across disciplines including economic, social, health, visual, and aesthetic. Having sufficient trees and canopy in designated green spaces and beyond into urban settings allow the co-benefits of trees to positively impact people and the surrounding environment. College campuses in cities provide a unique opportunity for deployment of tree planting initiatives and implementation of urban trees in general. Trees on college campuses have been shown to contribute to community engagement, student well-being, and opportunities for connection to nature, school events, and interpersonal relationships. This project demonstrates the benefits of trees in urban environments using a college campus case study of the Salem State University campus. Photoshopped images of campus with more trees superimposed across the green spaces, allows us to imagine what an urban university could look like with a sustainable landscape full of more trees that provide numerous benefits.