Some of the varieties available for donation. (L to R) Redbud, Dogwood, Tulip Tree, Fringe Tree, Red Buckeye
Butterfield’s Campus Tree Donation Program
There’s something especially momentous about planting a tree. It’s an act of hope – a gift to the future, a living tribute to a loved one, or a way to make a beautiful place even more so. That spirit is at the heart of the Butterfield Trail Village Foundation’s new Campus Tree Donation Program, which invites residents and others to build upon the verdant beauty of the BTV campus by funding the planting of a tree.
The idea took root with Jerilyn Nicholson, chairwoman of the resident-run Landscape and Grounds Committee. Through close collaboration between the committee, Grounds Manager Adam Fuller and other staff members, a true community effort emerged. Since the program launch in February 2026, 13 trees have been requested and approved, with many dedicated in honor or in memory of someone special. That personal aspect of the program is part of what makes it so meaningful: a tree planted on the Butterfield campus becomes a living, growing reminder of a person, a relationship and a life well lived.
Inaugural donors to BTV’s Campus Tree Donation Program are (back row, left to right) Christine Klinger, Nancy Blair, Eric Wailes, John Gilmour and Tamara Gilmour, and (front row, left to right) Sara Brown, Linda Hayes, Doris Schuldt, Jill King, Sandra Brooks and Karen Anderson. Not pictured: Tom King, Ned and Cathy Irving, Jim and Judy Cole, and Vernon Collins.
Adam Fuller carefully selected 17 approved tree varieties after much discussion with the Landscape
and Grounds Committee. Every option is native to Northwest Arkansas, suited to the campus environment, and chosen for the seasonal beauty it brings – from the celebrated spring blooms of Redbuds and Dogwoods, to the fiery fall color of Red and Sugar Maples, to the stately evergreen presence of the Eastern Red-Cedar and American Holly. Each variety is uniquely beautiful.
Donors may choose from three categories — Flowering/Ornamental, Hardwood/Deciduous and Softwood/Conifer — or opt to leave the choice to BTV’s grounds team. A preferred planting location may be suggested, though all locations are subject to approval based on the campus landscape plan and horticultural considerations. A donation of $550 per tree covers the purchase price of an average-sized balled and burlapped tree, delivery, watering bags and professional installation. Applications are available at Butterfield’s front reception desk, and payment is made only after the grounds manager approves the request.
For a place built around community, continuity and care, the Campus Tree Donation Program provides a beautiful way to leave a lasting mark on a place so many call home.
(L to R) White Oak, Red Maple, Sugar Maple, Pawpaw, Mulberry.
