Did you know that trees are the longest living individual species on Earth? Or did you know that a tree can absorb as much carbon in a year as a car produces driving 26,000 miles? The average American uses the equivalent of one 100 foot tall, 16 inch diameter tree every year for their paper and wood product needs. A mature tree removes 70 times more pollution than a newly planted tree. Friday, April 27 is Arbor Day, a holiday in the United States that dates back to 1872 that encourages individuals and groups to plant and care for trees.
The Linnaeus Arboretum at Gustavus Adolphus College invites everyone to join in the celebration of trees this Arbor Day 2012. There are several ways to celebrate Arbor Day, including simply going for a walk to admire the trees in the Linnaeus Arboretum. The arboretum is also hosting a treasure hunt at two separate times on Friday, including 2-4 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. You can pick up a treasure map at the Melva Lind Interpretive Center and later trade in your treasure for prizes including candy and t-shirts.
You can also choose Arbor Day to become a member of the Linnaeus Arboretum. Members receive generous discounts at area garden centers and floral shops, free entrance to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chanhassen, a free subscription to Better Homes and Gardens magazine courtesy of the American Public Gardens Association, a subscription to Twinflower, a quarterly publication of the Linnaeus Arboretum, and discount rental rates for the Melva Lind Interpretive Center. To inquire about a Friends of Linnaeus Arboretum membership, call 507-933-6181 or visit gustavus.edu/arboretum.
The Linnaeus Arboretum at Gustavus is named for Carolus Linnaeus (1707-1778), a Swedish botanist who is best known for his work shortening long Latin descriptive plant names to a simpler binomial nomenclature system. With 125 acres on the southwestern end of the Gustavus campus, the arboretum 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 than 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. The Linnaeus Arboretum is open during daylight hours throughout the year. The Melva Lind Interpretive Center is open weekdays during the school year, 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m., and by appointment.
For more information about the Linnaeus Arboretum, go online to gustavus.edu/arboretum or contact Cindy Johnson, executive director of the Linnaeus Arboretum at 507-933-7199.
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Media Contact: Director of Media Relations and Internal Communication Luc Hatlestad
luch@gustavus.edu
507-933-7510