Students and local residents can join together to beautify the Stephen F. Austin State University campus through a tree-planting project funded largely by a former student eager to improve campus life.

Last year, former SGA president Brian Sullivan rallied students to submit proposals for a contest he titled, "What's your big idea for 2009?" The contest required students to submit proposals on how they would improve campus life, and during the January regents meeting, Sullivan announced that he had selected the SFA Student Chapter of the Society of American Foresters' proposal to plant more trees on campus as the winning idea. Sullivan said that he would fund the majority of the project and presented the local organization with a plaque for their interest in ensuring SFA's piney woods prevailed for decades to come.

Society of American Foresters President Aaron Friar said he worked all summer to get the site of the tree planting ready. The needed supplies were purchased, and on Nov. 10, the all-campus, all-community tree planting day will commence.

He said the event will begin at 5 p.m., and those interested in participating should meet in front of the Austin Building at that time.

"There's a patch of woods right beside the student center, and that's where we're going to be planting," he said, adding his goal is to plant 200 trees that first day. He said there will be additional tree planting days for various classes, but the Nov. 10 event will be the only all-campus, all-community day.

Sullivan told regents that he had selected the Society of American Foresters' proposal because he believed more trees would enhance SFA's natural setting as a wooded campus. And, the organization hopes to bring special designation to SFA by making it only the third school in Texas to become a Tree Campus USA. UT Arlington and UT Austin are the only current Texas schools participating in the nationwide program that aims to establish and sustain healthy community forests for the benefit of current and future residents.

Friar said he estimates a large crowd for the Nov. 10 event, in part because his organization has a good message to send out.