Eastern Michigan University announced on Apr. 7 the release of TreEMU, an interactive map documenting nearly 5,000 trees, shrubs, and plants across its campus. The project is the result of a comprehensive tree and plant inventory conducted by students and faculty from the university’s biology department.
The initiative provides detailed data about campus greenery that can inform environmental management, urban planning, and discussions around tree equity. It also offers insights into species diversity and invasive plant populations on university grounds.
Jacob Richardson, a recent biology graduate who led the fieldwork with Professor Margaret Hanes, said, “The last survey was on a smaller scale back in 2012. Nothing like ours had been done before.” Richardson spent about 250 hours surveying roughly 200 acres to catalog each woody plant larger than 1.5 inches in diameter using GPS technology. “Some areas were packed with thorny shrubs and a lot of biomass to get through,” he said. “And species identification can be challenging. You have to really know what you’re looking at.” He emphasized practical benefits: “Parking lots, asphalt and concrete all hold heat… Adding tree canopy makes it more enjoyable to go outside during the hot summer months. It changes how people use the space.”
Rosemary Kendall, an environmental science major at EMU who built the online map from Richardson’s data over nine months, said users can now access information about individual plants directly through TreEMU: “Jacob created the coordinate list,” Kendall said. “I standardized the data and built the map. It took about nine months and went through 10 iterations.”
Professor Hanes highlighted that their research identified fourteen invasive species totaling 648 plants on campus: “Our survey gives us a baseline for understanding whether invasive species on campus are increasing or whether our management strategies are working.” She added that improving tree equity remains important for EMU: “Our campus has a relatively low tree equity score compared to the surrounding community… This project helps us quantify how many trees we’d need to improve that.”
Kendall reflected on broader implications: “The environment is a privilege, and it’s not distributed equally… Advocating for green spaces is part of environmental justice.” Richardson agreed: “We take nonhuman life for granted… Trees aren’t just decorative… Once you recognize that, it changes how you see everything.” Hanes concluded by encouraging continued action: “Trees are really important for a whole lot of reasons… Our campus should embrace the trees we have, and plant more.”
According to the official website, Eastern Michigan University prepares students to make significant contributions to society through its educational focus; includes historic architecture alongside modern facilities supporting student success; has gained national recognition for programs in various fields; offers more than 200 undergraduate majors/minors as well as graduate programs; focuses on building critical thinking skills; with James Smith serving as president.