It’s a typically stressful workday careening toward the semester’s end, and I am spending part of it sprawled on my belly in the woods, watching skittering ants and little white mushrooms growing on decaying sticks.
Did you see the recent feature on our staff in The Diamondback?
At the center of McKeldin Mall, a sunny, bustling hub of crisscrossing Terps on their way to and from class, nine people dressed in all white stand completely still. One poses at the head of a bed of tulips, arms outstretched. Another slouches on the sundial, while still another lies motionless on a bench. They barely bat an eye as passersby pause, stare or even snap a picture.
What started as a family planting project for Michael Ross and his son, Andrew, turned into a significant contribution to the University of Maryland (UMD) Arboretum.
The Arboretum supports the sustainable efforts of the University of Maryland and its six goals to reach carbon neutrality. Read more here: https://sustainability.umd.edu/
"Our global fight against the climate crisis is far from over. The University of Maryland will accelerate its goal to become a net carbon-neutral campus by 2025. It is my hope that these measures will help inspire every one of us to commit to the reduction of our greenhouse gas emissions for our planet and for our people. "
A hardscape renovation was recently completed next to Rossborough Inn. This area remembers those enslaved people whose forced labor was part of the University's founding.
From Taking 12-hour Shifts to Hand-Chipping Ice, Landscape Services Staff Leads Efforts to Clear 1,350-acre Campus
You may have noticed two things if you are around Morrill Quad on campus. First, it can be a bit of a hike making your way up the hill (Morrill Quad is at one of the higher elevations on campus). Second, it’s where many of the Arboretum’s larger white oak specimens are. In an effort to protect these historic trees, we have been installing and updating the lightning protection systems in them.
Over the next few days, you may find yourself wondering “what is he doing to that tree? Is he injecting it with something?” We don’t often think of trees needing check-ups or medical treatment, but sometimes they need just that.
Congrats to George Mason University Arboretum as they earn internationally recognized accreditation by ArbNet!
