The Arboretum
An Update
The Donald E. Davis Arboretum has a mission of promoting an
understanding and appreciation for the natural world with an emphasis
on southeastern plants and other associated organisms – a mission that
was implemented throughout the past year.
Through its sustainability efforts and projects, as well as the outreach
done on campus and with local schools and groups, the arboretum has
substantially broadened its reach throughout the local community in the
past year.
Many of the sustainability projects done at the arboretum fall in suit
with Auburn University President Jay Gogue’s commitment to have a
campus that sequesters more carbon than it emits, known as a carbon
neutral campus.
Dr. Nanette Chadwick, director of Academic Sustainability
Programs and biological sciences professor, says she has been impressed
with all of the work being done in the arboretum.
“In the Office of Sustainability, we appreciate these efforts at
the arboretum, which we often use as examples of the best practices
in sustainability for the campus. All of our introductory classes in
sustainability take field trips to the arboretum, where the students learn
a tremendous amount about how to put sustainability practices into
action,” Chadwick said. “I personally rely on the expertise and actions of
Members of the Alabama Plant Conservation Alliance, along with members
of the Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance, check on the status of plants that
were planted as seeds, propagated by Ron Determann at the Atlanta Botanical
Gardens, and reintroduced at Camp Tuckabatchee.
the arboretum staff to inform our course discussions and lectures about
sustainability on campus and in our community.”
Recently, the arboretum staff has collaborated with many on-campus
classes and groups to complete even more sustainability projects,
including building sciences classes that worked with facilities to install
more pervious concrete pathways in the arboretum. These pathways will
increase sustainability in reducing runoff water and allowing water to
reenter the ground and increase groundwater supplies.
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Journey/2012
Biosystems engineering and landscape architecture also contributed
in helping to design the outdoor classroom, bog, and water capture
systems.
Other sustainability projects recently completed include solarpowered pumps, dry steam beds for directing water, and bio-retention
gardens, or rain gardens.
With the arboretum constantly changing and improving its
amenities, several other classes from various colleges on campus have
also taken advantage of the arboretum. Classes from art, forestry, and
geology, among others,
utilized the arboretum over
the past year for alternative
classroom activities.
Fortunately for
many local schools and
organizations, it is not only
on-campus entities that
benefit from the arboretum.
Over the past year, many
different groups, including
local school groups, have
enjoyed and learned from
Michael Hein’