Students keep our landscapes alive with pollinators
Join us in supporting their environmental education
Elizabeth Hursh ’22 is happiest when surrounded by hummingbirds, bees and other busy pollinators in the Arboretum and Public Garden. Their presence means she’s doing her job right.
As a Co-Coordinator with our Learning by Leading™ Habitat Horticulture program, Elizabeth is helping transform landscapes into gorgeous garden habitats, with an emphasis on sustainable practices and plant-pollinator interactions.
“In this day and age, it is imperative to create sustainable, climate-ready spaces, not only for our own benefit, but also for the world around us,” said Hursh.
Her team focuses on the habitat gardens located near the Arboretum Teaching Nursery. This living laboratory includes a hummingbird garden, insect pollinator gardens, a native plant meadow, and a large-scale stormwater management system. As students learn there, they help educate the public about the important role home gardeners play in creating sustainable habitats for pollinators and other wildlife.
Beyond expanding her knowledge about habitat, the Learning by Leading program is helping Elizabeth develop lifelong skills.
“I plan to pursue a career in plants and research,” said Elizabeth, who is majoring in Ecological Management and Restoration. “I’ve gained the confidence and skills to communicate well with others who work with and study plants.”
The Learning by Leading program helps develop the environmental stewards of tomorrow. The Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden member group is especially proud this year – its 50th anniversary – to support this program’s life-changing impacts. Join us by giving to the Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden Annual Fund to strengthen the valuable legacy. And, 10% of your gift goes into our permanent Friends Endowment Fund to support all of our education programs in perpetuity.