Many Clarksville natives remember the tornado outbreak in January 1999, which left countless shattered houses and torn trees in its wake. This included much of the plant life that decorated APSU’s grounds.

As part of the campus repair efforts, APSU staff and students set out to grow new trees and plants to replace those that were lost. In the beginning no one thought it would become a tradition, but even after 18 years, Plant the Campus Red remains a campus custom.

Students and teachers once again put on sunscreen and picked up their shovels on Thursday, April 20, heading out to different checkpoints of campus to give new life to the grasslands of APSU.

Senior communication major Christiana Harris said she feels as though it is a great way to give back to campus.

“APSU’s Plant the Campus Red has become a beloved tradition on our campus,” Harris said. “It gives many of us the opportunity to give back to our environment and a way to say ‘thank-you’.”

This year’s Plant the Campus Red event consisted of 12 groups of 10 people, who set out to plant 3,500 flowers and 12 trees. They planted a variety of different flowers, including annuals, petunias, marigolds, impatiens, begonias and more.

The program is meant to allow students and faculty the opportunity to enjoy the plant life on campus, and also aims to increase school spirit, making both the campus and the Govs livelier and brighter.