|
“The Arboretum
at Penn State . . . an outreach, teaching, and research
facility dedicated to preserving the beauty and ecological
functions of vegetated landscapes in an urbanizing society.”
Click here
to see a full-page plan of the H. O. Smith Botanic Gardens.
Welcome
Since the Arboretum Task Force first began meeting in 1994,
I have been looking forward to the day when we would know for
certain that the Arboretum would be built. That day has now
arrived, thanks to the extraordinary generosity of a Penn State
alumnus, Charles H. "Skip" Smith.
On May 18, 2007, University President Graham B. Spanier announced
to the Board of Trustees that Mr. Smith has provided the Arboretum's
lead gift of $10 million to honor his late father, Harry O.
"H. O." Smith, a 1920 graduate of the College of Engineering,
a member of the Engineering faculty, and a local real estate
developer and entrepreneur. It is Mr. Smith's wish that we use
his generosity to build the first phase of what will become
the most frequently visited facility in the Arboretum - the
botanic gardens.
The upcoming months will be a time of unprecedented excitement
as we choose a design firm and work through the design process
to bring the heart of the gardens to life. By the time that
the Dickinson School of Law's new
facility directly to the east is completed in 2009, we hope
to have the first flowers and shrubs ready to bloom in the "H.
O. Smith Botanic Gardens in The Arboretum at Penn State."
Shown above is the view from the Forest Resources
Building toward the Arboretum. Grading for Phase I of the H.
O. Smith Botanic Gardens was begun in December 2007.
Please visit our planning
pages to learn more about the construction of the gardens,
and browse our site to learn about projects or endeavors elsewhere
in the Arboretum:
- Air Quality
Learning and Demonstration Center - Outdoor teaching facility
about monitoring air pollution in "Happy Valley"
- Arboretum
Woodland Restoration Corps - Volunteers who are
trained to recognize and remove invasive, nonnative plants
to restore natural areas in the Arboretum
- Bellefonte
Central Rail Trail - Crushed limestone trail (approximately
one mile) that officially opened in 2006 and is currently
being extended another 3/10 of a mile
- Hosler Oak
- First official tree planted in the Arboretum to honor meteorologist
Charles L. Hosler
- Hybrid Chestnut
Seed Orchard - A cooperative initiative between Penn State
and The American Chestnut Foundation dedicated to developing
a blight-resistant chestnut to re-introduce this species to
American forests
I hope that you return regularly to find out the latest news,
and encourage others to visit us, as well! You may share suggestions
or comments about the site by e-mailing me
or Kate Reeder.
Kim C. Steiner, Director
The Arboretum at Penn State
Frequently
asked Questions
An afternoon in June
along the rail trail.
|
The plant illustrated in the banner at the top of this
Web site's pages, Panex quiquefolius L. (ginseng) is
an herb that bears greenish flowers in May and red fruit from
September to October. Although it was once encountered frequently
in Pennsylvania's woodlands, its abundance has declined greatly
due to excessive collecting. Illustration: Rae Dickson Chambers. |
