East Carolina University Trees - ECU Sustainability

East Carolina University is located in the coastal plain of North Carolina, which is home to a variety of tree species. Many of the trees on the East Carolina University campus are native to the Southeast region United States, while many other species can be found in other countries around the world. Trees are split into two categories: deciduous and coniferous. Deciduous trees lose their leaves in the fall and bloom in the spring, while coniferous trees keep their leaves year-round.

The Arbor Day Foundation started the Tree Campus USA program in 2008 to recognize universities for their tree-filled campuses. The Arbor Day Foundation offers incentives like projects and learning services to students and staff around the United States. East Carolina University has been a Tree Campus USA recognized institution since 2016 and is among two dozen other institutions in the state of North Carolina. The East Carolina University Sustainability program is involved in the Tree Campus USA group and promotes environmental health and sustainability through student engagement. The ECU Tree Trail and Arboretum is among many examples of student-created projects involving trees and greenspace on campus.

 Click here to learn more about the Arbor Day Foundation & Tree Campus USA 

The ECU Tree Trail is home to 45 tree species planted along some of the busiest routes on the main campus. The 1.5 mile-long trail starts at the Leo W. Jenkins Fine Arts Center and introduces you to some of the oldest trees on the oldest section of campus, many of which were planted before East Carolina University became an official institution. Each tree depicted on the interactive map below has a plaque which identifies the tree species, common name, and identification number. The Arboretum is located on the lawn between Trustees Way and East Fifth Street on the northwest side of the main campus. The plot of land in which the ECU Arboretum rests on is the oldest section of land owned by East Carolina University and houses some of the oldest and well-preserved trees at ECU. All 33 trees have a unique plaque containing an identification number, scientific name and common name.

 Click here to view the Official ECU Tree Trail & Arboretum StoryMap 

East Carolina University has approximately 4,200 trees on campus. The two types of trees in this StoryMap are coniferous and deciduous trees. Common coniferous tree species at East Carolina University include pine, holly, cypress, and live oak trees. Approximately 15% of the trees at East Carolina University are coniferous, with clusters located behind the Science and Technology Building (Sci-Tech), behind Fletcher Residence Hall, and surrounding Lake Laupus on the Health Sciences Campus. Deciduous trees make up 85% of trees at East Carolina University, with common species including Oak, Crape Myrtle, Elm, Maple, and Cherry trees. Large clusters of deciduous trees can be found around the Cupola on the main campus.

The Main Campus is home to approximately 2,200 trees, which is nearly 50% of the trees at East Carolina University. The average width of the trees on the main campus is 15 inches, with the most common tree type being deciduous, making up nearly 90% of all trees on the main campus.

To the right is an interactive map of all trees on the main campus. The light green trees represent deciduous trees, and the dark green trees represent coniferous trees. The size is of the tree symbol is matched with the tree width.

The Health Sciences campus has nearly 1,400 trees, which is nearly 33% of the trees at East Carolina University. The Health Sciences campus has grown quickly over the past three decades, as shown in the historical aerial photographs. Many of the tree species on the Health Sciences campus have a width that correlates with height, and the data recorded in this study shows that the average tree width is only 7.5 inches, which is half of the size of the trees on the main campus.

The Athletics Campus at East Carolina University include the area around the Dowdy Ficklen Stadium, Clark-LeClair Stadium, Carol Belk Building on Curry Court, and the Blount Recreational Sports Complex. There are approximately 650 trees on the athletics campus, with an average width of 11.6 inches. Most of the trees on the athletics campus are deciduous trees.

Small sized trees make up about 17% (n = 715) of the trees at East Carolina University, with an average width of 4.7 inches. Some of the small-sized trees are young and will likely grow to be much larger in the future. In 2022, the Life Sciences building on 9th street was complete and 85 trees were planted around the parking lot and building. Most of the trees are small deciduous trees and they'll continue to grow in width and height in the future. Across campus, the vast majority of the small sized trees are deciduous, with the five most common small-deciduous tree species being Oak, Crape Myrtle, Elm, Cherry, and Redbud.

Medium sized trees make up about 40% (n = 1,702) of the trees at East Carolina University. The average width of the medium sized trees is about 1 ft. Some of the fully-grown trees on campus only reach a medium size, such as the Crape Myrtle. Medium sized trees can be found all over East Carolina University, many of which are found at the Health Sciences campus due to recent development over the past few decades. Similar to the small trees, most of the medium trees are deciduous. Common medium-deciduous tree species include Crape Myrtle, Elm, Oak, Maple, and Cherry trees, including a significant amount of coniferous Holly trees around Erwin Hall.

Large sized trees make up 43% (n = 1,789) of the trees at East Carolina University. Many of the full sized trees are fully grown and have been sitting on campus for multiple decades. Over the years, some of the large trees have reached extreme widths, with one tree at 105 inches wide. The average width of the large size trees is 18.45 inches, or 1.5 ft. Unlike the small and medium trees, the large tree category includes a variety of coniferous tree species. The five largest tree species on campus are Oak, Crape Myrtle, Pine, Maple, and Holly. The Pine and Holly tree species are coniferous tree types and can be found spread across the ECU campuses.

ECU has nearly 3,500 deciduous trees across all three campuses with an average width of 10.87 inches. Deciduous trees make up 84% of all trees on campus, with the majority of the trees being medium height, which is approximately 8-10 inches in width. Deciduous trees are easily recognizable as being deciduous during the winter months because they lose their leaves in the fall, and bloom in the spring. Deciduous trees are most commonly found near the southeast coast of the United States, as shown in the figure below.

Coniferous trees make up the minority at 16%, which is nearly 650 trees. The majority of the coniferous trees are large in size, with an average width of 10.69 inches at breast height.

Below is a list of the five most abundant tree species found across all East Carolina University campuses. Deciduous trees make up 85% of the trees on campus, and 80% of the most abundant species are deciduous. The most common specie is the deciduous Oak, followed by the Crape Myrtle, Elm, and the coniferous Holly tree. Lastly, the five most common tree species below make up almost 65% of the trees on campus.

Below are three tables containing the most common tree specie on campus seperated into groups by size. The tables include the size and type, specie name, count, and average width in inches.

Below is a heat map showing where clusters of trees are found. The clusters are depicted in the semi-transparent shade of purple. The darker the purple color, the more dense the trees are. Areas of high tree density can be found between Green Residence Hall and Erwin Building, around the Cupula on The Mall, Between the ECU Campus Police Station and the Joyner Library, and behind the Sci-Tech building near Tenth Street.

The interactive map below can be adjusted by zooming in (+) and out (-) and the left button on your mouse can be used to pan in any direction to view other areas of campus. When zoomed out to 1,000 meters, the highly dense areas turn yellow.

Below is a three dimensional map of East Carolina University. The 3D map was created in the ArcGIS Scene Viewer. This map is a modified version of the maps used in  Chapter 2 - Tree Data . The trees on the map are labeled with their associated specie name, and the vertical height of the trees have been associated with the width at breast height. The vertical height of the trees on campus have not been recorded, so the trees on the map are not to scale.

This section of the StoryMap contains historical photographs compared to modern day photographs of trees on the East Carolina University Main Campus.

All tree species at East Carolina University hold carbon dioxide, among other greenhouse gases. According to the Arbor Day Foundation, a mature tree can absorb more than 48 pounds of Carbon Dioxide in a single year. Half of the dry weight of a tree is carbon, otherwise known as green weight.

Trees and water have a unique relationship. Below are some bullet points explaining some water and tree facts. > Trees help filter stormwater by filtering out nitrates and pesticides, among other pollutants. > Trees and their roots can act as erosion control structures along river banks, providing stability and mitigating erosion. > The trees along the Town Creek Culvert are an example of green infrastructure. > Trees store and release water. According to the Arbor Day Foundation, when a plot of land is clear-cut, it can increase the risk of droughts in areas up to one thousand miles away.

Heat is among many topics talked about in sustainability. With rising heat comes rising sea levels, which also brings an array of issues. Tree canopies at East Carolina University provide shade and cooler temperatures for those traversing the campus. Tree canopies can help the campus sustain natural wildlife, vegetation, and improve the health of human life on campus too. On Monday, April 15, 2024, we took heat measurements of various surfaces along campus. On Monday at 2PM, the temperature was 88°F. Below are images we captured depicting the change in temperature under tree canopy and under direct sunlight.

Impervious surfaces often hold more heat than pervious surfaces. The installation of pervious pavers along campus has helped reduce heat and mitigate stormwater runoff.

This project was created by the ECU Sustainability Program to provide information and education about the trees at East Carolina University, and our recognition as a Tree Campus USA institution.

 Arbor Day Foundation 

 Arbor Day Foundation - Heat and Water 

 United States Department of Agriculture  &  Arbor Day Foundation  - Carbon and Water Storage