Volunteering on Campus
We have many and varied opportunities for people to help us beautify our campus landscape while spending time in the great outdoors. When you come to volunteer, we’ll ask you to really get your hands dirty--weeding, raking, pruning, planting trees, shrubs, and flowers, cleaning up landscapes, mulching, or replenishing footpaths--and you will feel like you have accomplished something special when you are done. We always come up with fun, active projects that enhance the beauty of campus and engage you with nature and your fellow volunteers.
The Clarice Self-Guided Tour
Outdoor Art
The Arboretum strives to highlight the artwork installed across our campus landscape in the listing below. If you have more information about any of the pieces listed, or you see a work missing from the list, please email us.
Dedicated Trees
Many trees have been donated to our Arboretum in recognition of a person, organization, or event. Click on the image below to learn more about these dedicated trees. If you are interested in contributing to our campus collection, please Email Us and include your name, contact information, and the reason for the dedication so that we may add the information to this page in the future.
See the campus locations of trees by clicking here.
Champion Trees
The goal of the Prince George’s County Big Tree Program is to identify, measure, and catalog the largest trees of each species in the county. Winners are compared to trees from the Maryland Big Tree Program to find the largest in the state. Trees are scored by: Total Points = circumference (in inches) + height (in feet) + 25% of the average crown spread. Our campus Arboretum currently boasts 16 County Champion Trees, including those pictured below.
Gardens
Our campus is filled with gardens that feature a wide variety of plants, trees, and shrubs. Many of these locations have been designated as pollinator gardens or native plant gardens, although these can be found throughout our landscaping. Search below to find the gardens close to you!
Collections
The gardens and landscaping on the University campus are cared for and maintained year round. Each season has its own highlights and appeal. Below is information on what you may expect to see based on the time of year you are visiting. We offer volunteer events throughout the year to provide opportunities to care for the campus where we live and work. If you are interested in hands-on volunteer work, please visit our calendar or contact us.
Plants
Below is a sampling of some of plant material highlighted on campus, but with over 17,000 woody plant specimens, it is not nearly comprehensive.
Visit our past Featured Plants here: https://arboretum.umd.edu/academics/featured-plant
Photo Credits
Unless otherwise noted, all photographs are taken by Sam Bahr, horticulturist, University of Maryland and Meg Smolinski, outreach coordinator, University of Maryland.
If you would like to submit photos or articles for publication, please email us.
Maps & Tours
The staff of the University of Maryland Arboretum and Botanical Gardens work to promote the University’s commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable practices. We provide opportunities for students, faculty, staff, and visitors to increase their awareness of these ideals through hands-on volunteer events, educational signage, and internships with Arboretum staff.