Years of hard work. A bold vision brought to life. The future of Davey Tree.
Around 300 employees, retirees, project developers, and community leaders came together Aug. 15, 2025, to celebrate the grand opening of Davey’s SEED (Science, Employee Education and Development) Campus.
“The SEED Campus was designed to ensure Davey continues to attract and retain the most qualified, well-trained and engaged employees possible,” said Pat Covey, chairman, president and CEO at Davey. “We are beyond excited to bring Davey employees to Kent and begin this new chapter of training and research.”
Employees who helped shape the vision – and who will now be on the front lines of using the space – shared insight with attendees as they toured some of the indoor spaces: the laboratories, where Davey Institute staff are now performing research and diagnostics for offices across the U.S.; the indoor climbing center, which is opening doors to new training opportunities for field employees; the archives, which shed light into our 145-year history; and more.
Beyond the main building, attendees toured the campus’s nearly 200 acres by bus, getting a glimpse at additional training sites like the non-energized utility right-of-way and canopy walk, and research plots for trees, pollinators, compacted soil, and wetlands.
We were also proud to showcase our commitment to sustainability across the campus: the two-acre solar array that powers the campus, the stormwater retention pond, re-purposed wood, and more. The training center building was constructed to achieve the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, and a Sustainable SITES certification is being pursued for the campus’ landscape.
The grand opening of the SEED Campus is just the beginning. We thank the many Davey employees, as well as our project partners, The Ruhlin Company and SmithGroup, who have brought this vision to life. We will continue to share stories and photos that feature the many unique spaces and features across the campus on this blog.
Note to the public: The training facility is open to Davey Institute staff members only. The Davey SEED Campus remains an active construction site as other elements on the campus are still under construction. We ask that members of the public respect the property’s ongoing, active construction site status.
