Sustainable solutions are nothing new for the University of Idaho. Through foresight and ingenuity, we’ve invested in an infrastructure that is helping spaces like the U of I arboreta thrive.
The American Horticultural Society recently recognized our historic Shattuck Arboretum and the Arboretum and Botanical Garden with the Great American Gardeners’ Garden Stewardship Award. The honor recognizes “a public garden that embraces and exemplifies sustainable horticultural practices in design, maintenance and/or programs.”
Paul Warnick, the U of I arboretum horticulturist, said the award is a tribute to many decades of hard work and thoughtful planning.
“I think the American Horticultural Society recognized our dedication to stewardship and sustainability,” Warnick said. “In particular, the fact that we use reclaimed sewage water for irrigation means that we can have the thriving arboretum that we have without depleting the aquifer.”
The U of I began planning for declining aquifer levels nearly 50 years ago, establishing a reclaimed water system in 1977. Today, more than 60 miles of irrigation lines stretch across campus. Each year, about 100 million gallons of reclaimed water irrigate Guy Wicks Field, the arboreta and everywhere in between.
Irrigation is just one piece of the puzzle as Warnick maintains and refreshes a space that thousands of visitors marvel at each year. The Arboretum and Botanical Garden features new plantings regularly, showcasing a wide variety of trees and flowers from around the world.
“We’re continually trying new things,” Warnick said. “But Mother Nature is a cruel hostess.”
The Arboretum Associates fundraising and volunteer group provides all of the funding for the arboretum, which opened in 1982 on what was formerly a treeless field. Through practices like creating compost on-site, minimizing pesticide and herbicide use and reusing local materials for hardscape and paths, Warnick and his predecessors created a space that serves the campus community and visitors as a quiet space to walk, reflect and bask in nature’s beauty.
The U of I’s commitment to sustainable solutions has deep roots at the U of I arboreta.
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