From pear trees to pollinator habitats, Seawolves Dig In caps Earth Week at SSU
Arbor Day celebration closes out Earth Week as Sonoma State earns Tree Campus recognition and 100 volunteers get their hands dirty across university grounds.
Sonoma State University marked its fourth annual Seawolves Dig In on April 24, drawing 100 students, faculty, staff, and community members for a morning of hands-on environmental stewardship.
Both an Earth Week finale and an Arbor Day celebration, the event invited volunteers to roll up their sleeves across six campus sites, planting magnolia and fruit trees, adding flowers and native species, clearing invasive weeds, and restoring and creating habitat for pollinators and other wildlife. In total, participants planted 22 trees and more than 200 native perennial pollinator plants.
The event coincided with Sonoma State’s recent recognition by the Arbor Day Foundation as a Tree Campus – a designation that reflects the kind of hands-on care demonstrated during Seawolves Dig In and reinforces the university’s continued investment in sustainability, community engagement, and its arboreal landscape.
At SSU’s Native Plant & Butterfly Gardens, participants used willow and other downed and bendable branches to build round wattle “insectaries” that provide overwintering shelter for insects and pollinators. Once filled with a mix of dried and fresh plant matter, the insectaries are inviting to ground bees, essential pollinators that sustain the health of native plant life.
SSU President Michael Spagna joined volunteers in the field, digging alongside students, faculty, staff, and community members. In remarks kicking off the day, Spagna noted that the modern Sonoma State campus took shape around the same time as the first Earth Day and said its design reflects an intention to complement and blend in with — rather than stand apart from — Sonoma County’s natural environment.
Organizers provided tools, light refreshments, and Sustainable SSU gear, including baseball caps and gardening gloves, as a token of appreciation.
Volunteers of all experience levels contributed, building practical skills while helping shape the campus landscape. In some courses, faculty tied the event to coursework, offering extra credit or service-learning opportunities focused on biodiversity, regeneration, and restoration.
One goal of the effort was to increase the number of fruit-bearing and flowering trees across campus, enhancing both the visual landscape and long-term sustainability. Near Ives Hall, volunteers planted pear and pomegranate trees. These new additions will yield fresh fruit for harvest by students, faculty, and staff as early as this fall.
Elsewhere, teams planted Japanese cherry trees, magnolias, and drought-tolerant native species suited to Sonoma County’s climate.
“This year’s Seawolves Dig In was amazing – you could feel the buzz in the air,” said Christa Irwin, SSU landscape manager. “Working together allowed each of us to connect in a natural, grounded way while giving back to our campus and the earth. I hope we get to do this again and again.”
Organizers hope that Seawolves Dig In is a stepping off point, inspiring SSU community members to look for continued opportunities for involvement. The upcoming Green Resources Fair, on May 5 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and hosted by the Office of Sustainability & Energy, will showcase ways for students and others in the SSU community to stay engaged in sustainability efforts year-round.