The Arbor Day Foundation has named San Luis Valley Health a 2026 Tree Campus Healthcare facility in recognition of its commitment to enhancing community well-being through tree education, investment and engagement. The designation makes SLV Health the first healthcare facility in Colorado to receive this honor.
This effort was spearheaded by SLV Health lead groundskeeper Victoria Porras. Porras oversees the team that cares for the trees at all SLV Health’s campuses, from Monte Vista to Antonito. She formed and chairs SLV Health’s Tree Advisory Committee, which oversees the organization’s tree care plan, and led efforts to meet the five core standards required for the Tree Campus Healthcare designation. These five core standards include establishing a tree advisory committee, maintaining a facility tree care plan, completing a community forestry project, sponsoring a celebration event that highlights the connection between trees and human health, and investing in a campus tree program.
On why this initiative matters and was so important to her personally, Porras said, “We take pride in providing the many benefits that trees give to our patients and community. It’s a great accomplishment to be Colorado’s first Healthcare Tree Campus and we look forward to continuing our landscape enhancements.”
Adam Moore, supervisory forester with the Colorado State Forest Service, was an invaluable partner in helping SLV Health achieve the designation. “As a resident of Alamosa it is great to see SLV Health taking the initiative to become a Tree Campus Healthcare recognized facility,” Moore said. “This shows their dedication to understanding how caring for their trees provides benefits to the patients they serve.”
Trees play an essential role across SLV Health’s campuses, welcoming patients and visitors before they even step through the doors. According to the Arbor Day Foundation, trees and green spaces are proven to improve health outcomes and reduce stress for both patients and caretakers, while also providing profound layers of good for the greater community, including combating extreme heat, improving air quality and reducing flooding impacts.
“Healthcare institutions like SLV Health are at the forefront of recognizing the profound impact nature can have on human health,” said Michelle Saulnier, vice president of programs at the Arbor Day Foundation. “By integrating trees and green spaces into their campuses, facilities like SLV Health are not only creating healing environments today, but they are also building a foundation for healthier, more resilient communities in the future.”