A 50-year-anniversary milestone, while significant in any circumstance, is especially momentous as the world begins to emerge from a pandemic that shined a spotlight on the importance of nearby nature and outdoor recreation as one of the only allowed respites from in-home isolation.
Were it not for people like Nancy Crosby taking action during periods of crisis, like in 1971, when our budget was completely cut, the Arboretum would not exist.
Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum, our community support organization, was recently recognized as one of the university’s leading donors and included in the inaugural group of Chancellor’s Laureates.
This past summer was a busy one for nursery staff members Mike Connelly, Joe Gorder and Dennis DeWitt with the expansion of the Arboretum nursery facility near the Rec Hall.
Interestingly, the notion of the Davis Arboretum as a truly beautiful place conflicts with the typical image of public gardens in the west. Most gardens are heavily irrigated, but the Arboretum is a dryland Mediterranean garden.
