More than 350 first-year students and faculty from Queens University of Charlotte planted trees at Midtown Park near uptown Charlotte recently.

The students worked with Mecklenburg County Stormwater Services' Water Quality Program to improve the area along the Little Sugar Creek Greenway.  The greenway has been direly affected by urban development over the past few decades and the students learned about how something as simple as planting new trees helps reduce runoff and provides other benefits.

"Planting trees as an annual project is an opportunity for students to live the message of not only our Core program, but also of the university," said Dr. Reed Perkins, the Carolyn G. and Sam McMahon Professor of Environmental Science.  "Students experienced just one of many ways they can have a hands-on positive impact on the environment around us."

They  planted 300 trees from the winterberry, smoketree, arrowwood viburnum, vernal witchhazel, serviceberry and silky dogwood varieties along the bank of the creek over three hours.