UC celebrates Earth Day with greener, bolder moves

This year, UC’s Earth Day celebrations honor a growing portfolio of eco-conscious achievements that stretch across the main and regional campuses. In a university-wide effort that bridges environmental science, design and community action, Bearcats are proving that green isn’t just a color — it’s a culture.

Where invasive insects once left a hillside bare near Langsam Library, a new grove of 19 trees now stands tall, planted by student volunteers as part of a campuswide tree restoration effort. This project, completed in March, transforms the site of once-decimated ash trees into a living example of urban resilience. New ground cover plantings, selected to absorb runoff and fight erosion, flank the grove — quietly combating climate change, one root system at a time.

This is just one piece of a growing arboreal puzzle. UC’s landscape architect John Martini has helped lead multiple tree-planting events this spring, culminating in the university being named a “Tree Campus USA” by the Arbor Day Foundation for the third year in a row. The national designation, set to be formally awarded on April 24, recognizes campuses that effectively manage their trees and engage students in conservation.

The commitment to sustainability is built into UC’s very foundation — literally. Across campus, rain gardens, bioswales and gold and silver LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) buildings serve as testaments to environmentally mindful design. These aren’t just features; they’re functional responses to stormwater runoff, heat island effects and habitat loss.

Now, the university is planting microforests — densely packed groves of native trees that grow quickly and support biological variability. Ralph Brueggemann, adjunct professor at UC’s College of Engineering and Applied Science says, these living labs allow students to learn from, and within, the landscape.

Sustainability at UC goes beyond trees and trash — it lives in classrooms, labs and public forums. The UC Center for Public Engagement with Science (PEWS) is pioneering a shift in how science connects with society. Moving past just fact-sharing, PEWS emphasizes back-and-forth dialogue and an understanding of how science interacts with politics, trust and culture.

With monthly events throughout the Tristate region, the center is bringing science into community conversations. One such project: a pilot grant awarded to Assistant Professor Sangyong Cho of UC’s College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning helped develop low-cost environmental sensors. Developed in collaboration with community groups and public health experts, the sensors offer a window into neighborhoods known as environmental justice areas in Cincinnati, particularly those that are most at risk from toxic exposures such as air and water pollution.

The celebration extends beyond the classroom and campus this week:

• Greenspace hike at Twin Creek Preserve (April 18, 3-4 p.m.)
  Explore restored streams and birding habitats with local collaboratives Green Umbrella and Mill Creek Alliance.

• Spring Fest 2025 at Burnet Woods (April 19, 12-4 p.m.)
  Live music, yoga and nature education turn one of Cincinnati’s oldest parks into a green gathering ground.

• Barrows Conservation Lecture Series (April 30, 7 p.m.)
  Join wolf expert Rick McIntyre at the Cincinnati Zoo for a deep dive into Yellowstone’s wolf packs.

Looking ahead, UC is also a key planning partner for the Midwest Regional Sustainability Summit, taking place June 5. With more than 650 attendees expected, the summit unites entrepreneurs, government leaders, scholars and ordinary people around practical solutions for a sustainable future.

As UC continues to lead by example — from planting roots to planting ideas — its Earth Day message rings clear: Sustainability isn’t a sideline, it’s the main event.

Featured image at top: Hands holding new flora growth. Photo by Noah Buscher courtesy of Unsplash