Blog

Arboretum Oak Expert to Speak on Panel hosted by Duke University

Emily Griswold, director of GATEways horticulture and teaching gardens will be speaking at an online event, hosted by Duke University alongside other leading oak experts. She will discuss how the Arboretum and Public Garden GATEways Project (Gardens, Arts, and The Environment) uses innovative programs and art installations to welcome a broad audience into the landscape, encourage environmental stewardship, and build an understanding of the tremendous cultural and ecological value of oaks.

Tyler Kern: UC Davis' First Campus Urban Forester

Tyler Kern, the first UC Davis campus urban forester and part of the Arboretum and Public Garden team, is devoted to managing and maintaining the university's urban forest. As certified arborist, Kern has worked on numerous projects in his career aimed at supporting flourishing environments and is bringing his expertise back with him to Davis.  

Building Blocks for Resilient Gardens

As we look to the future, we want to broaden our scope to support landscapes that are not just sustainable, but also resilient. Find plant recommendations and tips on how to build a resilient garden at home.

Round Up for the Friends!

When you shop at the Davis Food Co-Op in September you can support the Friends, too! The Davis Food Co-op has selected the Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden as the recipient of this month’s Round-Up at the Register fundraiser!

Fifty years ago the Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden helped save the Arboretum. For decades since then, they’ve supported our favorite local nature escape, its free family programs and the development of its student environmental leaders.

A Profusion of Poppy Confusion

The California poppy (Eschscholzia californica) is a resilient and widespread species. At present, systematists may recognize 18 taxa within the genus, with ranges that extend into Utah, New Mexico, and northern Mexico. These taxa exhibit a rich nomenclatural history that can help explain how and why plants get their names, and how the early descriptions influence—and at times muddle—our current taxonomic outlook.

Stories of Trees, People and Community: Celebrating the Friends 50th Anniversary

By utilizing the Friends’ personal archives, memories, and newsletters, we were able to create a dynamic Story Map detailing the history of trees throughout the historic, 100-acre Arboretum. This map specifically highlights our largest tree collections, the Peter J. Shields Oak Grove and the T. Elliot Weier Redwood Grove, as well as other notable trees throughout the collections.

NOW HIRING 20+ Student Landscape Assistants for the Summer

 The Arboretum and Public Garden team maintains all of the campus landscape. As part of our "Campus Recommissioning" effort to prepare for the return of students, faculty and staff to in-person instruction this fall, we are recruiting summer student employees to work throughout campus on landscape maintenance and improvements.