The young university, founded in 2000, began with barren reclaimed land lacking natural greenery. To transform the campus, large-scale tree planting became essential—not only as construction projects but also as community-building activities. Since its founding, NUK has held major tree-planting events to collect seedlings from various contributors while fostering a deep, lasting bond between participants and the university.

On March 11, 2003, the first large-scale “Tree Planting Season” was held, with faculty, students, alumni, and local residents planting over 1,500 trees of diverse species, many of which now form lush campus woodlands. The second milestone came on March 24, 2009, when nearly 1,000 participants planted more than 5,900 native trees and shrubs, with support from the Forestry Bureau, turning the campus into a living classroom for biodiversity.

For the 20th anniversary in 2020, tree planting was again highlighted, alongside commemorative events and sustainability initiatives, echoing the UN’s International Day of Forests. These efforts not only enriched the campus landscape but also underscored NUK’s commitment to carbon reduction, environmental stewardship, and ecological sustainability.