The California Urban Forests Council will present two awards for the educational benefits of California State University, Fresno’s arboretum at the council’s conference Oct. 1-3 in Ventura.

The awards from the state organization mark the second time in less than two weeks that the 383-acre Fresno State academic campus, designated a state arboretum in 1978, has been recognized for helping educate people about environmental sustainability. Earlier, the National Arbor Day Foundation awarded Tree Campus USA University status to Fresno State for the second straight year.

The California Urban Forests Council will present the Durrell Maughn Founders Award to Ryan McCaughey, (pictured at right) director of Fresno State grounds and arboretum since 2006. The arboretum itself will be recognized for community-building with trees.

The Maughn award goes to “an individual, organization, or agency that has done the most in the past year to advance urban forestry education in California.”

The recipient must have demonstrated innovation and leadership in creating or improving educational opportunities. McCaughey’s initiatives include membership on community organization boards, community membership on the Arboretum Advisory Board, community-engaging campus events and re-energizing the arboretum Web presence, making it more useful to campus visitors.

The arboretum will be recognized as an institution whose mission is not urban forestry, but has made a significant contribution through an urban forest to enhance the quality of life in a community.

McCaughey and his crew are responsible for the Fresno State arboretum’s 4,000 trees of more than 100 species. Expansive lawn areas, bushes, shrubs and flowers and several smaller gardens, including one dedicated to allergy-free plantings, are part of the arboretum.

The arboretum and the nearly 1,100 acres comprising the Fresno State Agricultural Laboratory (campus farm) combine to create the most extensive green belt in the Fresno-Clovis urban center.

The campus greenery offers cooling, shade and air pollution scrubbing benefits that extend throughout the community. Besides demonstrating for the entire community how drought-tolerant plants, water conservation and other gardening practices work effectively, the arboretum offers inviting walkways a bike routes for exercise.

Some trees planted more than a half-century ago, when the campus was being established, are at or near the end of their lifespan. McCaughey has undertaken an extensive reforestation project using varieties better suited to the hot, dry central San Joaquin Valley and has invited members of the community to campus to help in the effort.

The goal is to maintain the arboretum’s canopy throughout the transition process.

Robert Boyd, associate vice president for Facilities Management, the division in charge of grounds, said, “We are proud of our green commitment. Ryan and his team have made important changes in a short time that have helped the community better appreciate the beauty and functionality of our arboretum.”

Related link:

Fresno State Arboretum

California Urban Forests Council