While many students spent finals week buried in textbooks, CFACT Collegian Lena Zizza and a group of University of Florida students headed outdoors to leave something lasting behind: a native tree planted near Lake Alice.
On April 23, Lena hosted a tree planting ceremony at the University of Florida, bringing together seven students from various campus organizations to plant a Green Ash tree, a species native to Florida. The event was part of CFACT’s Conserve & Preserve campaign, which encourages students to practice real environmental stewardship by maintaining healthy ecosystems, preserving wild spaces, and supporting native plant and wildlife populations.
The project began before the shovel ever hit the soil. In preparation for the ceremony, Lena and two other students drove roughly 40 minutes to a native-only nursery, where they searched for the best tree for the project. They ultimately selected a Green Ash, keeping the focus where it belonged: on planting a species that supports Florida’s natural ecosystem and provides long-term benefits for local wildlife.
At Lake Alice, students took turns digging, watering, and settling the sapling into its new home. Lena’s event gave students the chance to put good stewardship into practice with their own hands.
The ceremony also came at a meaningful time on campus. Despite the stress of finals week, students made time to come together, enjoy the outdoors, and take part in a project that will continue growing long after the semester ends. As Lena later reported, participants were “talking, asking questions, and just enjoying being outside and doing something productive together.”
That is exactly the kind of conservation CFACT Collegians are working to promote: practical, local, and rooted in responsibility. In a world where invasive species can be introduced to American biomes virtually overnight, awareness about safeguarding our native wildlife is more important than ever.
The effort did not end when the group photo was taken. After the ceremony, Lena told CFACT she would continue visiting the sapling throughout the summer to water it and ensure its survival, making sure the tree has a strong start long after students leave campus. “Can’t wait to see how much it will grow over the summer,” she wrote.
Thanks to Lena’s leadership, UF students now have a living reminder of CFACT’s conservation mission planted right on campus. As the Green Ash grows, so will the impact of a student-led project grounded in stewardship, native ecosystems, and a love for the outdoors.
