May 8 is Arboretum Volunteer Day Posted on May 5th, 2009 by

The Linnaeus Arboretum with the Melva Lind Interpretive Center in the background.

The Linnaeus Arboretum with the Melva Lind Interpretive Center in the background.

In recognition of National Public Gardens Day, the Linnaeus Arboretum at Gustavus Adolphus College will host Arboretum Volunteer Day from 2 to 5 p.m. Friday, May 8.

National Public Gardens Day brings awareness to public gardens around the country and the important role they play in environmental conservation and community involvement. In order to maintain the Arboretum as a place for recreation, reflection, and education, volunteers will take on a variety of jobs including weeding, pruning, mulching, removal of invasive species, and trash pickup.

People interested in volunteering can report to the Melva Lind Interpretive Center on the day of the event. For more information, contact arboretum naturalist Bob Dunlap at 507-933-7199 or rdunlap@gustavus.edu.

The 125-acre Linnaeus Arboretum, located on a southwestern end of the Gustavus campus, provides an environment to educate the mind, revive the spirit, exercise the heart, and delight in Minnesota’s natural history.

The arboretum was established in 1973 with the planting of tree seedlings on what had previously been agricultural land. The three major ecosystems found in Minnesota are represented in the arboretum, including the northern conifer forests, prairies of the south and west, and deciduous forests from central Minnesota. Formal gardens surround the Melva Lind Interpretive Center and include more the 100 species of cultivated trees introduced from other regions. A new 70-acre coneflower prairie is being developed on the west side of the arboretum.

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Media Contact: Director of Media Relations and Internal Communication Luc Hatlestad
luch@gustavus.edu
507-933-7510

 

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