The Gustavus Adolphus College Linnaeus Arboretum will host its annual Fall Warmer at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 16. The public is invited to attend.
Jim Gilbert, former executive director of the Linnaeus Arboretum and current instructor of environmental studies at Gustavus, will speak about Minnesota phenology — the study of seasons. Gilbert is the author of a newly released book titled Jim Gilbert’s Minnesota Nature Notes. Gilbert will share his knowledge on several nature-related topics including bird behavior, weather, and the flowering of plants. A short annual meeting will take place before Gilbert’s talk.
The 125-acre Linnaeus Arboretum, located on the 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. It is named for the Swedish botanist, Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778), who devised the binomial nomenclature system used today.
The arboretum was established in 1973 with the planting of tree seedlings on what had previously been agricultural land. The three major natural 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.
Tickets for this event are $10 for members and $12 for non-members. Soup and sandwich are included. Reservations can be made by contacting Shirley Mellema at 507-933-6181 or arboretum@gustavus.edu.
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