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Winona State University will host an Arbor Day event from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in front of the Darrell W. Krueger Library and ending at the Integrated Wellness Complex on Friday, April 26.

The event begins at 9 a.m. in front of the WSU Library with a ceremonial tree planting attended by WSU students, faculty and staff as well as children from a couple Winona elementary schools.

Nancy Jannik, WSU Interim Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, will offer opening remarks followed by comments from others involved in the arboretum project, speaking on “The WSU Arboretum Initiative and Its Relationship to Curriculum and Beyond.”

Committee members, students and campus leaders will participate in a ceremonial planting of magnolia trees in front of the library.

Following the planting, WSU Arbor Day Committee members will lead brief tours of some interesting tree species on campus while introducing a new smartphone application that uses QR codes to help campus visitors identify and learn about trees.

The Arbor Day activities conclude by 11 a.m. with a presentation of plans for a native prairie garden on the WSU campus by biology student Kaitlyn O’Connor and professor Bruno Borsari.

The Arbor Day activities are free and open to the public.

More information is available from Jim Reynolds, WSU professor emeritus and chair of the WSU Arboretum Project Task force.