By Steve Esser
YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. — Young Harris College has added a “moon tree” to its beautiful campus setting.
What’s a moon tree, you ask?
Great question. Moon trees are a NASA-inspired program, dating back to the Apollo 14 mission in 1971. One of the astronauts, Stuart Roosa, packed a small container of tree seeds – part of a joint NASA-U.S. Forest Service project. The seeds orbited the moon, returned to Earth, and were planted at various location in the United States and across the world.
In 2022, in a nod to the legacy of Apollo 14, NASA’s Artemis program took a second generation of seeds into orbit aboard the Orion spacecraft.
YHC’s Biology professor Paul Arnold found out about the program from a YHC alum,
Leah Cheshier, Class of 2016, and Public Affairs Officer at NASA. Arnold wrote a grant application for a moon tree and NASA accepted it, mailing a loblolly seedling to YHC in October.
“I thought it was an intriguing concept and something we could use here at YHC in our biology program and at the planetarium as well,” Arnold said. “So, I filled out the application, which was quite thorough, and they selected us!”
While not indigenous to the area, the loblolly will thrive in this location, Arnold said, citing several loblolly pines already on campus.
“We planted it here near the Maxwell building, so our students have ready access,” Arnold said, “and the planetarium will incorporate it in its programs as well.”
NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement partnered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Services to fly five species of tree seeds aboard Artemis I as part of a national STEM Engagement and conservation education initiative. The seeds traveled thousands of miles beyond the Moon spending about four weeks in space before returning to Earth.
Alan Tice, a certified arborist with Altamont Tree Service and an alum of YHC, helped supervise the planting Tuesday. Biology students will monitor the tree over the next few months with a dedication ceremony planned for Spring 2025.
Planetarium Director Lauren Albin plans to add it her outreach program that sees thousands of students from schools in north Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee every year.
“We’re so excited about the moon tree,” Albin said at the tree planting Oct. 29. “It’s a great way to honor the Apollo legacy and inspire the next generation of scientists and astronauts.”
About Young Harris College
Young Harris College is a private baccalaureate and master’s degree-granting institution located in the beautiful mountains of North Georgia. Founded in 1886 and historically affiliated with The United Methodist Church, Young Harris College educates, inspires, and empowers students through an education that purposefully integrates the liberal arts and professional studies. The College has four academic divisions: Fine Arts; Humanities; Mathematics, Science, and Technology; and Professional Studies. Approximately 1,400 students are enrolled in its residential and Early College programs. The College is an active member of the NCAA Division II and remains a fierce competitor in the Conference Carolinas. For more information, visit yhc.edu.
