Happy Earth Day! Earth Day has been observed on April 22 since 1970, according to EarthDay.org. This Earth Day, celebrate by getting to know more about our campus flora, as well as some student organizations focused on sustainability and Earth Day-related topics!

Trees and plants on campus

Not only is Earth Day on April 22, but National Arbor Day is on the last Friday of April (April 25 this year), according to the Arbor Day Foundation. With both in mind, what a better time to get to know some well-known trees on campus!

Some of the most popular trees on campus are on the Tongva/Kuruvungna lawn, a frequent set of trees that students use to tie their hammocks to sunbathe or relax between or after class.
Looking for some of the most beautiful trees on campus? Consider going to north campus, where the Jacaranda trees bloom with purple flowers in spring across the Sculpture Garden lawns.
Or maybe you’ve seen some interesting trees and plants on campus. Some of them can be found south of campus at Moore Hall. You may have heard of the potato trees from new student orientations, but they are actually called Kigelia Africana trees or, more commonly, “Sausage Trees.”

Want to learn more about the plants on campus? The UCLA Mathias Botanical Garden has a “Campus Plant” search tool that lists and maps the plants located at UCLA. To start searching, click the link below.

UCLA Mathias Botanical Garden, Campus Plant search tool

Student organizations

Consider joining programs or student organizations! ASUCLA reached out to a handful of the conservational and Earth-related organizations on campus. The following information describes the clubs contacted, though they have not responded at the time of publication. This is not an exhaustive list of all UCLA ecological and Earth-considerate organizations.

Botanical Club at UCLA: The Botanical Club centers around researching and valuing botanics, including a multitude of fields from conservation to systematics and more. To learn more, email botanicalclubucla@gmail.com.
Bruin Earth Solutions (BES): BES focuses on sustainability on campus, from biology and engineering to agriculture and design. To learn more, contact bhs@g.ucla.edu.
Bruin Beekeepers at UCLA: Bruin Beekeepers focuses on bee education and conservation, both on campus and locally. To learn more about the club, a satellite of the California Master Beekeepers Program (CAMBP), visit their website here or email bruinbeekeepers@g.ucla.edu.
Dig: The Campus Garden Coalition at UCLA: Dig: The Campus Garden Coalition maintains the Mesa Lawn of Sunset Canyon Recreation Center to educate and engage in community discussion and hosts workshops. To learn more, visit the website here or contact digucla@gmail.com for more.