Cascadia Community College will celebrate Earth Day with a tree-planting ceremony at noon April 22. This will be the first of several events during 2010 to commemorate the college’s 10th anniversary.

The big leaf maple sapling that will be planted has been grown from a seed by campus grounds staff. The seed came from a majestic tree that once grew in the lawn outside Cascadia’s first building. The sapling will be planted close to the location where the parent tree stood.

“Cascadia is committed to sustainability and environmental stewardship. We are thrilled to be able to plant the offspring of a tree that once stood as a campus landmark before it had to be removed when it became diseased. As we celebrate Cascadia’s first 10 years, planting this sapling represents both our history and our future. I hope it will grow to become a Cascadia landmark for generations of students to come,” says Cascadia President Bill Christopher.

Steve Hilbert will be the ceremony’s keynote speaker. Hilbert’s late father, Morton, played a major part in encouraging and mentoring the students who organized the first Earth Day events at the University of Michigan and other college campuses in the spring of 1970.

Guests at the tree-planting ceremony will be given a bag of 100-percent organic compost from Cascadia’s worm compost bins, as well as packages of seeds to plant at home. Light refreshments will be served. The ceremony will take place on the plaza outside Cascadia’s new Global Learning and the Arts building.