Engagement at the Arboretum
The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum is one of the University of Minnesota's prime public engagement efforts. Part of the Department of Horticultural Science in the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, and situated on more than 1,000 acres of land about 20 miles southwest of the Twin Cities, it conducts horticultural research and has educational programs for both adults and children. It has been used by university researchers to develop many cold-hardy varieties for decoration and commercial use, and is frequented by hundreds of thousands of visitors each year who get ideas for landscaping, hold a party, or just enjoy the beautiful grounds which include northern woodlands, prairie, and marsh as well as formal gardens.
Among the many good activities of the Landscape Arboretum, some that stand out are education programs for school: field trips at the Arboretum; a Plantmobile that brings "live plants, activities, investigations, and take-home planting projects" to the classroom; and Learning Habitats for Neighborhood Schools. This last has been particularly exciting and successful for inner-city schools.
Imaginative and dedicated staff at the Arboretum are making a real contribution to enriching the lives and neighborhoods of more than 30,000 kids each year.