RICHARD
S. FOSTER TO BENEFIT
URBAN FORESTRY STUDENTS
BLACKBURG,
Dec. 20, 2002 - Known
for his outstanding
contributions to the
world of residential
development, Dick
Foster and his Virginia
Beach-Norfolk area
company, Baymark Construction
Corp., have become
synonymous with exceptional
community design and
development. In honor
of his innovative
approach to community
design and development
and his commitment
to urban forestry,
Virginia Tech's College
of Natural Resources,
in partnership with
Trees Virginia, has
established the Richard
S. Foster Urban Forestry
Scholarship.
Foster
was one of the early
founders of Trees
Virginia, the state's
urban forestry education
program. The new scholarship
in his name honors
Foster's long-term
commitment to wise
stewardship of the
land and to making
sound urban forestry
decisions when developing
property.
Foster's
innovative urban forestry
practices have resulted
in the planting and
transplanting of more
than 30,000 trees
throughout various
Baymark communities.
These projects have
earned recognition
as Best Residential
Development Community
of the Year. "Foster
practiced urban forestry
before it was even
defined," said Greg
Brown, dean of the
College of Natural
Resources.
In recognition of
Foster's achievements,
numerous friends and
colleagues have contributed
to the scholarship
endowment. When fully
endowed, the scholarship
will provide a minimum
of $1,000 each year
in support of a student
studying urban forestry
in the College of
Natural Resources.
Recipients will be
chosen for their interest
in contributing to
the field of urban
forestry, with consideration
given to academic
achievement, extracurricular
leadership and community
service.
Within
the coming year, the
Virginia Tech Foundation
hopes to raise $25,000
for the endowment.
Persons interested
in contributing to
the scholarship should
send checks payable
to the Virginia Tech
Foundation to the
Development Office,
College of Natural
Resources, Virginia
Tech, 324 Cheatham
Hall, Blacksburg,
VA, 24061, or call
(540)231-7048 for
more information.
