The trees will replace some that were badly damaged when a tornado ripped through the park on May 15, 2018.

“Quinnipiac is pleased to have been invited by the SGPA to participate in this reforestation effort,” said Bethany Zemba, vice president for strategy and community relations and chief of staff at Quinnipiac University.

The funding provided will go towards the purchase and planting of native trees that will help to reestablish a healthy forest at a local ecological treasure -- Sleeping Giant State Park.”

The tree donation is in alignment with the university’s Sustainability Implementation Committee, Zemba added. Quinnipiac pursues sustainability in three areas: learning, living and leading.

As learners, QU students, faculty, staff and alumni are agents of sustainability for the communities they engage and enrich locally and beyond. In both physical presence and action through living, QU aims to serve as a responsible steward of its natural resources and supports the long-term environmental sustainability of humanity on Earth.

“From a leadership perspective, the presence of environmental sustainability in pertinent practices is a hallmark of QU in the eyes of our stakeholders,” Zemba said. “We see this opportunity to donate trees to assist in reforestation efforts at Sleeping Giant as part of our local commitment to sustainability at an environmental asset just across the street from our Mount Carmel campus.”

Luis Arata, professor of modern languages at Quinnipiac and president of the SGPA’s board of directors, said this is not the first time the university and association have worked together.

For example, Quinnipiac facilities have helped to remove snow and a large boulder at the park, while SPGA volunteers, members of the Quinnipiac cross country teams and local trail runners scouted 30-plus miles of Sleeping Giant trails to map locations of trees that had fallen over the winter and blocked trails following the 2018 tornado.

Arata said the new trees will be planted near the park entrance in the fall.

“The Sleeping Giant Park Association is most grateful for Quinnipiac’s support in helping bring back the natural beauty of the area,” Arata said.