Community Engagement

Fifty years ago the friends of the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden helped save the Arboretum. Today they continue to engage visitors, volunteers, and members in supporting the Arboretum and Public Garden’s purpose: inspiring human potential to help people and environments thrive! Round up today to celebrate their 50th Anniversary and consider becoming a Friends member yourself. Let’s grow better together!

Round Up for the Friends!

  • by Suzanne M Ullensvang

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.

Shields Oak Grove

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.
Volunteers in PPE at the Arboretum and Public Garden

Volunteers get green light to come back!

Last week, during National Volunteer Appreciation Week, we were thrilled to once again welcome community volunteers back to the landscapes and nursery. This comes after our Arboretum and Public Garden volunteer program was put on hiatus over a year ago due to pandemic-related campus health and safety restrictions.

Image of Fred Wyatt in front of Wyatt Pavilion

Who is the Wyatt of Wyatt Deck and Pavilion?

  • by Katie Ferguson Hetrick

On the south side of Lake Spafford, nestled among heritage trees and a sprawling California buckeye, sits a unique, multi-tiered deck constructed from redwood to honor the grove nearby. The open-air location, enjoyed by thousands every year, retains a history with an extended local family – the Unger-Yackzans.

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