Jamaica Plain News (https://www.jamaicaplainnews.com/tag/arnold-arboretum/page/4)
Rabbits, squirrels, robins, dogs, coyotes, foxes, dinosaurs -- you can see lots of animal prints in the snow at the Arnold Arboretum. Here are just a few that we saw recently.
The Arnold Arboretum is training for the spring season of school programs at the arboretum, and they need volunteer field study guides. The school programs season begins March 29. The Arnold Arboretum is looking for outgoing and mature adults who can commit to two years of volunteering. You do not need to know about plants, but experience working with children is preferred. If you are interested, please complete an application by March 11 for an interview.
The Arnold Arboretum is dominated by trees and other woody plants that by and large originated elsewhere— primarily from wild, temperate habitats around the globe. But staff have historically preserved areas of the Arboretum landscape where native understory plants are encouraged to grow spontaneously and by design, and in recent years we have begun collecting and reintroducing herbaceous species that were once common on our grounds. Like our accessioned trees, these plants may be immediately familiar and plentiful in the wild, or threatened and quite rare. One example of a species poised for a comeback in our landscape is New England blazing star, a plant reintroduced through a collaboration with Zoo New England. For the Arboretum, this species is significant to both history and conservation—the last confirmed wild population in all of Suffolk County was documented in our landscape almost 90 years ago.
More than 90 members of Boston Children’s Chorus recently gathered in the Leventritt Shrub & Vine Garden at the Arnold Arboretum to film this year’s Opus Nuovo Now is the Time focused on environmental justice against the scenic backdrop of beech and maple scenery. “We think that as a place to showcase the beauty of the natural world, the Arboretum is second to none," said CC Executive Producer Robbie Jacobs. "We were able to capture the distinctive New England fall colors as the backdrop for sharing our message and [were] delighted to partner with our ecologically minded friends at the Arboretum to share this critical message about preserving the environment for generations to come.”
Singers lip-synced during the film and recorded their voices later on their phones to accompany the visuals. More details about the production process can be found on the Arnold Arboretum's website.
Blue jays, cardinals, hawks and chickadees -- oh my! The Arnold Arboretum is always atwitter with fine feathered friends. Check out these fantastic photos by Chris Lang at the Arnold Arboretum. Click here to see more photos or purchase images by Chris Lang Photography.
For new and returning visitors alike, our amiable and ever resourceful visitor engagement staff create a sense of welcome and endless possibility to those seeking insight and guidance for their explorations. This fall, the launch of a made-to-order mobile visitor center in our landscape will begin an exciting new chapter in this outreach. With the arrival COVID-19, health guidelines required closing the Hunnewell Visitor Center as a public health precaution. While we kept the Arboretum landscape open and welcoming, our visitor engagement staff transitioned to remote work last spring. By fall, staff members Carena Cremin, Ana Eder-Mulhane, and Regina Mission were back at the Arboretum, greeting visitors and offering assistance from a pop-up visitor engagement tent set up at a number of our gates in rotation.
With more than 30 years of experience Holton will play a pivotal role for the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University ahead of its 150th anniversary in 2022. As Director of Institutional Advancemen, Holton will cultivate and steward relationships with members, donors, and the public to help others understand our shared past, the power of plants, and the work being done to create a better world for future generations—ensuring the Arboretum’s relevancy and vibrancy into the next century. “Tanya has been an agent of change in nonprofit fundraising, administration, and programming in Boston for over three decades,” said William (Ned) Friedman, Director of the Arnold Arboretum. “As we prepare for the Arboretum’s sesquicentennial in 2022, Tanya’s respect for the healing power of nature, along with her deep experience in transforming nonprofits, will be essential for galvanizing support around our bold vision for the future. We are excited to welcome her onboard.”
She attended Stanford University, and received her BA and Masters from the University of Cambridge in England.
Local photographer and JP resident Shaheen Pooladvand has spent decades taking photos of the Arnold Arboretum's plants, flowers, trees, and more. And now Pooladvand would like to share those photos with people to enjoy them. "I grew up in a large cosmopolitan city made up of glass, stone and concrete with a couple of small parks and almost no green space. I was stunned at the sight of Arnold Arboretum when I went there in late '90s. I’ve been walking through the park ever since," said Pooladvand.
Turtles, toads, frogs, and catfish were all relocated this spring as part of the Arnold Arboretum's dredging project of two of its ponds. If you've been by the trio of the Arboretum's ponds recently you probably noticed there was roping and fencing around Rehder and Faxon ponds. There were also floating and bucket traps set generously provided by Zoo New England, which caught turtles more than 80 times since April 20, said Arnold Arboretum Horticulturist Brendan Keegan to Jamaica Plain News. Keegan stressed that visitors not go around the roping and fencing, as it can stress out the Arboretum's wildlife. The number of individual turtles caught are probably in the 50 to 60 range, said Keegan.
Virtual Art Exhibition
Photographer Amy Ragus specializes in multiple frame images of New England landscapes—digital photocollages. Before and during the pandemic, Ragus spent time in the Arboretum, particularly interested in its role as a public space, its open access to everyone. Her work captures the discoveries she found just off a road or path, as well as the people who share this space and enjoy nature throughout the seasons. Explore her sensitive, creative depictions of walks in the Arboretum in this virtual exhibition.