Roots Repurposed is an ongoing sustainability initiative conceived by Elon University in partnership with New Leaf Society to decrease plant waste produced at commencement events.
Roots Repurposed: How To Plant an Oak Tree – Educational Videos
Each year, the University gifts graduating seniors with small oak saplings as a symbol of their
growth while at Elon. Most of them are taken home and nurtured by graduates and are
eventually planted at locations across the country. Leftover saplings are donated to NLS, where
they are given a second chance to be planted in Alamance County and surrounding areas.
Public giveaways, municipal landscaping projects, and reforestation efforts are some of the
ways NLS distributes these saplings.