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Community Partnerships Amplify Arboretum Impact
The UCF Arboretum’s success as a natural refuge from the bustle of campus life happens largely because of committed staff and volunteers, but there’s another ingredient, too. Agency partners such as the Florida Forest Service, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, St. Johns Water Management District, neighboring county natural resource departments, and many other brought together […]
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Message From the Director
At a time when many people have suffered great loss, and when everyone has had to adjust to pandemic living, it is inspiring to witness our students brimming with youthful enthusiasm. Like most other programs at UCF, the Arboretum has had to make significant changes in the way we run and operate our programs, […]
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Student Horticulturists Have Bright Future With Help From Landscaping Company
There’s more to landscaping than pulling weeds and pushing a mower — much more. Experts in logistics, finance, small engine repair, soil chemistry and human resources are all in demand at Baker Commercial Landscaping, a 250-plus employee company that maintains the properties of homes and businesses across Tampa and Orlando, including UCF’s main campus and […]
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UCF Stormwater
Central Florida is known for its summer thunderstorms that sometimes dump large amounts of rain in short bursts. People are used to seeing water flowing along gutters and rushing into roadway drains, but not everyone understands the hidden infrastructure for stormwater runoff and how it is designed to protect our precious water resources. Stormwater runoff […]
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UCF Organic Community Garden
Love of the outdoors, UCF students, and fresh, organic produce are just a few of many things that sparked the idea of creating an amazing space known as the UCF Arboretum Organic Community Garden. Since February 2009, the Arboretum has been growing organic produce on main campus and supplying that food to the Knights Helping […]
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Environmental Horticulture
One of our recent campus construction projects features our boldest attempt yet to incorporate native flowering plants into our campus landscape designs. The landscape at the new District Energy Plant IV was designed by Karina Veaudry, Principal Landscape Architect of NFC Landscape Architects, Inc., working under project architecture firm RLF. NFC is guided by a […]
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Director’s Message
Every good gardener knows that you can’t grow a strong plant on weak roots. At the UCF Arboretum, we are continually reminded that our success is rooted in our past. Our founding director, the late Dr. Hank Whittier, spent over 20 years laying the foundation for our program. We are excited to announce that we […]
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Healing Powers of Fire Cider
On Friday, July 7, the University of Central Florida Arboretum held a workshop enlightening people on the benefits of fire cider. Fire cider is a mixture of simple, natural ingredients that is fermented for at least a month to create an antibiotic drink. It can be consumed straight or added to food and drinks. The ingredients […]
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STEM Day at UCF
On Friday, April 8, more than one thousand students from the Central Florida area spilled on to UCF campus for STEM day. STEM day is a bi-annual outreach event for K-12 students interested in learning more about the study of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The day featured a wide variety of activities focused on STEM […]
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New UCF Greenhouse Takes Root
Story by Jonathan Gabriel, UCF Today The UCF Arboretum celebrated the completion of a new campus greenhouse that will support UCF’s educational and research efforts. UCF faculty, staff and students gathered at the new greenhouse for a ribbon cutting ceremony and reception on Friday, March 25. Dr. Michael Johnson, Dean of the UCF College of […]
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Arboretum, Knights Pantry Partnerhip Grows
The produce students receive at Knights Pantry might be fresher and more healthful than anything they could buy at local supermarkets. That’s because of efforts led by the Arboretum and members of the UCF chapter of Engineers Without Borders to establish organic gardens in the local community. Knights Pantry provides up to five items of […]
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Panel to Discuss Using Preserved Land to Link Florida and Georgia
Come MEET THE EXPEDITION TEAM and learn about their amazing adventure! The University of Central Florida and the Legacy Institute for Nature and Culture will spread the word of an opportunity Florida has to maintain a corridor of preserved land and waterways that would run from the Everglades to the Okefenokee Swamp in southern Georgia. An […]