Learning by Leading

We believe that students learn best by leading. In this innovative environmental restoration and education program, leadership skills and real-world experience combine to help our students address the earth’s most important environmental issues. The Learning by Leading™ internship program offers quarter-long and school year-long internships in which students work in a team to solve real-world problems in the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden.

Image of a hand drawing an oak tree with a rainbow above it.

Oak Gall's History and Life Cycle

Fri, June 19, 2020

Student Leadership

Join our Learning by Leading™ GATEways Outreach team as they explain what oak galls (aka oak apples) are, how they are created by wasps in addition to creative ways they are used by humans to create ink in this charming and educational explainer video!

Image of spotify page featuring Sapling Stories by the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden's Learning by Leading Museum Education interns.

Sapling Stories: New Podcast Helps Community Connect with Nature

Wed, June 10, 2020

Student Leadership

Listen to the podcast mini-series created by our Learning by Leading™ Museum Education interns to help our community stay connected to the outdoor environment during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Image of the opening graphic of the Arboretum Virtual Tour created by Learning by Leading Museum Education students.

Virtual Tour of the Arboretum (not just) for Kids!

Wed, June 10, 2020

Student Leadership

Take the virtual tour to learn about the Arboretum, pollinators, the Arboretum Waterway and more. It was designed for kids, but there's something for everyone!

How well do you know the birds of the Arboretum Waterway?

Tue, May 26, 2020

Environmental Education

Next time you visit the UC Davis Arboretum, see if you can identify these five species of birds that frequently visit.

Noreen Mabini

by Sydney Odman
Tue, May 19, 2020

Student Leadership

Learning by Leading Waterway Stewardship Co-Coordinator 2021

May Madness: California Native Plant Showdown

by Sydney Odman
Wed, April 22, 2020

Community Engagement

Find out the results of our first California native plant showdown which we call "May Madness." It's a tournament bracket similar to March Madness (for those familiar with college basketball) but this time the public decides which California native plant wins in a social media match up!

Image of the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden's Learning by Leading Museum Education team on a Zoom meeting.

Learning by Leading Program Goes Virtual

Fri, April 17, 2020

Student Leadership

At the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden, we see our highest purpose as inspiring human potential to help people and environments thrive. With this goal in mind, we developed our signature initiative, our Learning by Leading™ internship program, to immerse students in progressive environmental leadership experiences.

Person holds milkweed plant for planting in Butterfly Study Garden.

Creating a Monarch Butterfly Study Garden

by Indigo Wang
Tue, April 14, 2020

Student Leadership

Watch the video about how our Learning by Leading CCUH SmartLawn team is helping create a Butterfly Study Garden in collaboration with the UC Davis California Center for Urban Horticulture.

Explore nature from home with iNaturalist

Thu, April 09, 2020

Community Engagement

Download the iNaturalist app, record your encounters with insects, plants and other organisms, connect with experts who can identify the animals/plants you find, create useful data through your findings, and more!

Beautiful, Green Infrastructure with the SmartScape Team

by Sydney Odman
Tue, March 24, 2020

Student Leadership

When it comes to green infrastructure, the Learning by Leading™ SmartScape interns have got it covered. The SmartScape team is not only focused on establishing smart irrigation strategies, they are transforming once-overlooked sites into beautiful gardens. In doing so, the SmartScape team has created an area for students to gain a greater understanding of how to approach landscape ecology from both humanistic and biological perspectives. It's hands-on experience!