Photo essay: Fruits of their labor
Students teamed up with the Office of Sustainability on April 22, Earth Day, to plant a variety of fruit trees in a new area of Skidmore’s Community Garden, the Orchard. Supporting ongoing efforts to create biodiversity on campus and provide a mix of fruits, students and staff of the Community Garden worked with a local nursery to hand-select each tree. The trees will soon bear plums, apricots, peaches and three varieties of apples.
“We’re looking forward to the day when students can grab a fresh apple or apricot right off the tree as they head to class,” said Levi Rogers, director of sustainability programs and assessment. “The Community Garden continues to be a visible representation of our campus’ efforts to think comprehensively about our food system and overall impact.”
The trees will be added to an ongoing student-led initiative to inventory all trees on Skidmore’s campus. Using GPS technology, students are mapping trees and recording species, trunk diameter and overall health. The inventory will support landscape planning and future research projects.
