NEWS from the Arnold Arboretum

Indonesia Supports Major Program for Biodiversity Conservation Robert E. Cook, Darector

August brought us wonderful documented. Indonesia’s ability to news for the Arboretum. We have maintain and enhance knowledge been awarded $2,375,000 from of its biodiversity is severely lim- the Government of Indonesia for a ited by a shortage of trained staff five-year contract to provide tech- with expertise m botany and zool- nical assistance as part of a ogy, by inadequate storage and re- $12,000,000 project to increase search facilities, by deteriorating the capability of Indonesian scien- zoological and botanical collec- tists and government agencies to tions, and by a lack of modern conserve the country’s biodiversity computer technology and a system An Indonesian botanist collecting and manage its natural resources. for information management. a specimen of Finschia (Proteaceae), Dr. John Burley of our staff has as- With the Biodiversity Collec- a canopy tree of the lowland an Arboretum will sembled international team of tions Project, the tropical forest. experts drawn from Harvard Uni- create an international model for versity, London’s Natural History biodiversity conservation through of future leadership in Asian Museum, the National Museum of technical assistance to a develop- systematic biology. More impor- Natural History, and the ing country. This assistance will tantly, it will directly address the Rijksherbarium of the Nether- provide support for the restoration threat of species extinction and lands, and the Commonwealth and development of zoological and the loss of tropical biodiversity in Scientific and Industrial Research botamcal collections, the creation the most fundamental way pos- Organization (CSIRO) of Austra- of biodiversity databases, and the sible : by helping the Indonesians lia. The Arboretum is the lead in- training of Indonesian scientists themselves to protect their envi- stitution in this collaborative in botany, zoology, information ronment and prudently conserve effort, which is being funded by management, and resource their natural heritage through the the World Bank through a pro- conservation. development, management, and gram it manages called the Global I believe this project will place wise use of knowledge about the Environment Facility (GEF). the Arboretum in a clear position fauna and flora of their country. Indonesia contains 10% of the world’s tropical forests and is sec- Boston Teachers Learn Arboretum Science ond only to Brazil in the richness Richard Schulhof, Ar.restant Director for Educataon and Publec Affairs of its fauna and flora. Many sectors of the economy are dependent The need to better educate our with teachers. Across the country, upon the sustainable management children about science is well school systems are working not of these resources. Yet 30% of the known, but education reformers only to enhance the scientific flora and 90% of the fauna are not are just discovering that much of knowledge of teachers but also to fully described or scientifically the needed change must begin provide training in the inqmry- Boston teachers who participated in the Arboretum’s science education workshop pose for a class photo. Diane Syverson, Arboretum school science program manager, is on the far right. based teaching methods that can All participating teachers were As the workshop drew to a succeed in engaging children in alumni of previous Arboretum close, both project staff and teach- science learning. Yet in our larger workshops, thus permitting the ers looked forward to continued cities this can be a daunting task. group to hit the ground running learning during the school year With only limited resources and with a particular emphasis on how through meetings at the Arbore- under the pressures of urban class- living plants can be used to in- tum and classroom visits from rooms, how can teachers increase volve students in the excitement Arboretum staff. In the words of their knowledge as well as reshape of actual scientific observation, one teacher, "I have discovered their teach~ng~ In the Boston area, questioning, and discovery. In the many new ways to use the Arbore- Arnold Arboretum summer work- Arboretum landscape teachers ex- tum as a resource.... I expect shops are proving to be at least a amined "weeds" that can be found plant science to take off in my small part of the answer. near the schoolyard and used for classroom." With planning under- This past July the Arboretum life science explorations, while in- way for next year’s workshop, hosted twenty-six teachers for an doors they conducted seed experi- plant science may be taking off intensive two-week workshop led ments that serve as models for across the Boston Public School by school science program man- scientific investigation. system. ager Diane Syverson and instruc- tors Debbie Knight and Helen Arboretum October 16 McElroy. Supported by a grant Open House, Sunday, from the Dwight D. Eisenhower Join Arboretum staff for a special open house welcoming members Math and Science Education pro- of the Friends of the Arnold Arboretum and the larger Boston gram, the goal of the workshop community. Scheduled to run from 2:00 to 4:00 pm, the event will was to provide advanced training feature tours of the landscape, greenhouse, and Hunnewell Building for teachers from schools in and offer opportunities to chat with Director Bob Cook and other Dorchester, Jamaica Plain, Hyde staff about Arboretum plans and programs. Please mark your Park, and other Roxbury, nearby calendars. We look forward to seeing you this October! Boston communities.

2 The Library Is Back return. Although we came up dedicated library committee, the with a scheme that allowed each library is now in better order than Shezla Hortzcultural Archivzst Connor, shelf of books to be removed and it was before the renovation oc- has been so im- Among my friends there are a stored in strong, ridged, sealable curred. Its setting few who, while otherwise quite crates that would not only keep proved that now the quality of its value of mature and respectable, are the books and the journals in surroundings matches the intimidated by libraries. I know order but would protect them its content. With new lighting this because they often confide in during their year in limbo, there and paint, refimshed floors, tables, me, expecting, I am sure, a certam always loomed the possibility that and a whole range of appropriately amount of sympathy. Unfortu- a crate or crates would be misnum- sized new shelving, the library is than it was in nately, very little is forthcoming bered or somehow go astray. better appointed for this is an affliction that I sim- Moreover, it was also possible that 1892 when the Hunnewell Build- ply cannot understand. I had mismeasured the amount of ing first opened. I can say this There is nothing like a library, new shelving needed even though with no disloyalty to Charles S. and there are no two libraries that I measured and figured it at least Sargent, the Arboretum’s first are alike. I can walk into one any- four ways from Sunday. Or worse director, nor to Longfellow, Alden where, and even if the classifica- yet, because the library was going and Harlow, the bmlding’s origi- tion scheme is unique and the to be rearranged, I may have nal architects. Of course, the cli- we now have in titles are in a foreign language, I totally miscalculated absolutely mate control that the instantly feel a sense of order, sta- everything. So although I had the library and throughout bility, and security. I feel at home. missed the library sorely, you can building had not yet been in- That probably explains why understand that it was with both vented, but it would appear that of elec- throughout the year of our re- anticipation and genuine fear that Sargent had an innate fear cently completed renovation of the I welcomed it back. tricity (and perhaps of natural gas Build- Hunnewell Building I felt more I am delighted to report that as well) for the Hunnewell than displaced, I felt lost. On it fit. And through the combined ing was not lighted until after his occasion I found myself concoct- efforts of an able assistant, the death in 1927. fears that ing any kind of excuse that would staff of the Botany Libraries, vol- I should allay any a with the enable me to use another library. unteers, summer interns, and those familiar library I not only missed what was inside the books, I missed how they looked and how they felt. I even missed how they smelled. (No, not that damp musty odor of books stored too long in the base- ment, just that slight hint of leather and library paste.) The Arnold Arboretum’s library-books, journals, pam- phlets, photographs, glass plates, maps, files, bindery equipment, and a good part of the archives- were packed up and shipped off for the duration. It is no mean feat to move a library. The classifica- tion sequence of the monographs held a event the and the organization of the jour- In May the Arnold Arboretum special honoring memory and accomplishments of Donald Wyman, Arboretum nals must not be disturbed. In horticulturist from 1935 to 1970. Pictured here with a portrait of fact, everythzng must remain m Dr. Wyman are Donald Wyman, Jr., and Donald Wyman Thomas. order or chaos will reign upon its

3 might have concerning changes in been reopened-and glassed in on general, plus monographs on its ambiance. The beautiful read- the library level-the core of light North Temperate Zone plants, ing room-with its grand over- that passes through the center of dendrology, ecology, forestry, sized table and walls of windows this room imparts an extraordi- landscape gardening, seaside that allow a glimpse of the living nary feeling of openness. We have plants, hedges, screens, and wind- collections, as well as the wonder- also added something new, a spe- breaks (just to name a few), the ful corridor space and alcoves with cial laboratory, a room set aside, library is in my estimation-and I wooden shelving that extends all dedicated and outfitted for the think that those who have used it the way up to the high ceiling- care and repair of books. would agree-the best library in looks brighter and cleaner but As for the content of the the nation, if not the world, dedi- otherwise exactly the same. (Well, library, we have developed a mis- cated to understanding, identify- we do now have a whole comple- sion statement-it is to provide ing, and growmg woody plants. ment of Harvard chairs around and maintain a collection of schol- So we are back to purchasing that wonderful table.) The most arly materials on North Temper- books and checking in journals. dramatic, and welcome, change ate Zone woody plants in support There is one other thing. There has come in the stacks, the part of of the curatorial, research, and has been, for me, an unanticipated the library housed in the her- educational programs sponsored benefit derived from the renova- barium wing. Gone are the dark- by the Arnold Arboretum. Thus tion. The library is back in place, green jerryrigged, recycled stacks the library reflects the Arboretum’s but it’s not back in exactly the that were shimmed to the ceiling mission and, through its holdings same the place-everything has and in constant danger of letting in botany, horticulture, and re- been shifted. So now when I walk All go. have been replaced with lated fields, supports its curation. through the stacks to retrieve a light-colored metal shelving that With a collection whose range book I can no longer depend on is sturdy and stable, sized to fit includes books and periodicals on rote; I now see titles that I once oversized books and archival boxes arboreta and botanic gardens, overlooked. The benefit is that as well as journals and mono- botany and horticulture, and I’ve discovered a whole library of graphs. Now that the atrium has North Temperate Zone floras in new books. Arboretum Assists Brookline Tree Inventory Chrzs Strand, Outreach Horticulturist

The word is getting out about of Massachusetts, and the Brookline the long-term savings that can be Greenspace Alliance, organized an achieved by planting trees in cities inventory of its street trees as a and suburbs. Trees make it less first step toward managing its ur- costly to heat and cool buildings; ban forest. Instead of sending pro- they absorb air pollution and fessional arbonsts to complete the provide a wide range of other en- inventory, a process that can be vironmental benefits. An article prohibitively expensive, the town in last April’s New York Times decided to organize teams of vol- described how the planting of unteers. Ninety-two volunteers 95,000 trees would reap an esti- signed up and agreed to partici- mated net benefit of $38,000,000 pate in the five-day project. over thirty years. This sort of cost- On the first day of the project benefit analysis is prompting local volunteers came to the Arnold communities to take a serious Arboretum for a six-hour training Use of the Arboretum’s look at their urban trees. session. As of their living part training, collections for horticultural This past spring the town volunteers learned to measure the education is an ongoing focus in of Brookline, working with the DBH (diameter at breast height) of the work of outreach horticulturist Arnold Arboretum, the University a tree, assess its condition, and iden- Chris Strand. tify its pruning needs. In addition, On the Grounds Richard Schulhof and I volunteered Peter Del Tredici, Asszstant Director to use the Arboretum’s collections Collections to teach the volunteers how to for Living identify 23 common street trees. For the Living Collections Depart- At the same time, we taught them ment, staff, grounds crew, and how to use a dichotomous key. interns alike, the summer of 1994 On the remaining four days of has been the summer of Peters the project the volunteers walked Hill. Our renovation project through the neighborhoods of began last autumn when, with the Brookline measuring, assessing, support of a grant from the Insti- and identifying trees. Project or- tute of Museum Services, former ganizers were pleasantly surprised intern David Giblin was hired to that each team of three volunteers review all of the plantings on completed an average of 250-300 Peters Hill. This spring, with trees per day. All totalled, the vol- David’s recommendations in hand, Don Garrick of the crew unteer force inventoried 101 miles the process of plant removal began grounds helping to convert the Peters Hill of roadway over the two weekends. with specimens that were diseased dump into the Peters Hill Preliminary results indicate that or m poor condition or were recycling center. Brookline has over 11,000 street deemed superfluous to the scien- trees (not including trees in yards tific needs of the Arboretum. In these deletions, many of the or in parks). Using the data the all, some 3,000 plants were evalu- remaining trees were pruned (for volunteers collected, the Univer- ated, resulting in approximately the first time in years), and sity of Massachusetts will create a 150 removals and 100 relocations invasive vines that had climbed map and database to help the of plants from Peters Hill into the into the crowns of many of them town develop management strate- core collections area on the other were removed. All of this work, of gies for the trees. side of Bussey Street. Following course, is preparatory to replant- ing Peters Hill with a new genera- tion of collections-quality plants, which is scheduled to begm in the spring of 1995. Planning for this replanting was instituted this past spring and will be finalized over the coming winter. We hope to present the plan to readers of Arnoldaa in an upcoming issue. Less obvious than the work on the plantings, but no less impor- tant, was the completion of the clean-up of the "dump" on Peters Hill, located in the old stone quarry along Bussey Street. This monumental job, which actually began a year ago, was coordinated This past spring and summer the Arnold Arboretum Committee by superintendent Pat Willoughby worked with Waste Management, Inc., City Year Corps members, with assistance from grounds crew and other volunteers on highly successful cleanups of Arboretum member Don Garrick. With an- perimeter areas. The Arboretum’s Jim Gorman is seen here (lower cient mountains of brush reaching left) with members of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society’s some 30 feet in height, the job Green Team. Many thanks to all for a job well done! was the Arboretum equivalent to

5 the cleaning of the Augean into woodchips, and metal and installed in the quarry, giving stables. Construction as well as stumps were hauled off in access to the area from above as arboreal debris had been dumped 30-cubic-yard dumpsters (14 of well as from below. In effect, this there for countless years, and all of them). The end result of all this project has transformed an old it had to be processed, sorted, and effort was a tall mound of screened dump into a new recycling screened before it could be reused loam and another of woodchips center where we will reprocess or hauled away. Stones were set that will be used to help future the massive amounts of woody aside for future construction plantings off to a good start. As a debris generated by the living projects, brush was ground up final touch, a new gravel road was collections. NEA Awards $25,000 for New Arboretum Program

The National Endowment for tional Historic Site in Brookline. ment that can be understood from the Arts has awarded $25,000 to Called Junior Parkmakers, scientific, aesthetic, and social the Arnold Arboretum to intro- the program will center on an Ar- perspectives. The program will be duce the study of landscape and boretum field trip complemented developed in consultation with landscape architecture as a new by activities and teacher’s guide Boston area teachers and will be multidisciplinary subject for materials designed for classroom designed to address curriculum Boston-area classrooms. The pro- use. With an emphasis on outdoor goals in science, the arts, and gram will be developed as part of exploration, program activities social studies. Pilot testing of the the Arboretum’s collaboration with will seek to examine the landscape new field study is scheduled to the Frederick Law Olmsted Na- as a part of the human environ- begin in the fall of 1995. Programs ~ Events The Arboretum’s Education Department offers a wide variety of courses, programs, and lectures in horticul- ture, botany, and garden history. Come to the Arboretum this fall to study such diverse topics as tree identifi- cation, year-round garden maintenance, and horticultural writing. A selection of fall courses is shown here. For a complete catalogue of programs and events at the Arboretum, please call (617) 524-1718, ext. 162. Please note that fees shown in boldface are for members of the Arboretum. For information about becoming a member, please call (617) 524-1718, ext. 165. ART 420 Horticultural Writing Workshop WAL 273 Arnold Arboretum Landscape Kam E. Trapj~, Putnam Fellozo, Arnold Arboretum Architects and Designers Discussion Series This new course will offer a hands-on opportunity On three Thursday evenings in October, some of to learn the ABCs of horticultural writing and New England’s most highly respected landscape publication. Students will explore creativity and architects and designers will present their work and technique through a series of reading and writing design philosophy. Each will illustrate his or her exercises and roundtable discussions. Horticultural projects with slides, and explain the rationale and references and computer resources will be illus- constraints that affected the outcome of the projects trated. The class will discuss the range of publica- under discussion.The three architects and designers tion opportunities for new authors and learn how to represent a range of design opinion, and the work submit ideas to specific publications. Students can shown in the series will encompass public, residen- choose to be guided through the process of initial tial, and industrial projects. submission of a finished piece to an appropriate In an informal discussion period following the gardening publication. Limited enrollment. lecture, audience members will be able to ask Fee:$96,$1100 questions and further explore the thinking of the 6 Tuesdays, October 4, 11, 18, 25, November 1, architect or designer. 8/ 1 :30-3 :30 pm (Hunnewell Building) WAL 270 Carol Johnson October 133 An Arnold Arboretum course offered zn cooperatzon with WAL 271 Michael Van Valkenburgh October 20 the New England Wald Flower Society. WAL 272 Susan Child October 27

6 WAL 273 Series Fee: $40, $46 Herbs, Jim Wilson traveled to all corners of the Single Lecture Fee: $15, $188 United States to photograph the latest uses of herbs 3 Thursdays, October 13, 20, 27/ 7:30-9:00 pm in garden landscapes of all sizes and styles. Jim will (Hunnewell Building) show slides of these wonderful gardens and talk about the newest and best herbs for landscaping, culinary, and craft uses. On the practical side, he will discuss the importance of soil preparation for herb culture and the long-term maintenance of herb gardens. Jim Wilson is known to the audience of The Victory Garden as the popular co-host; he is also a prolific garden writer and lecturer with several books to his credit. Fee: $14, $18 Saturday, November Sl 10:00 am-noon (Hunnewell Building) Co-sponsored by the Arnold Arboretum, Massachusetts Hortzcultural Society, the New England Wild Flower Society, and the Worcester County Horticultural Society

HOR 459 Multi-Season Perennials, Shrubs, and Trees Hardy in New England Photographers Elise Laurenzi and Ken Druse Galen Gates, Chzef Hortzculturzst, Cbacago Botanic discuss a scene. Garden ART 412 Landscape Photography Workshop Many of the hardiest plants for New England are Davzd Akiba, Photographer also star performers in the Midwest, where Galen This workshop will explore both technical and Gates grows and evaluates them for the Chicago Botanic Garden. His enthusiasms are aesthetic approaches to color landscape photography plant many, using the peak of fall foliage color in the Arboretum and he will introduce herbaceous and woody plants that are for the cold and wind of the as our laboratory. The Saturday class will begin in tough enough and therefore make fine candidates to the Dana Greenhouse with a brief lecture and Midwest, try discussion of materials and equipment, and will be in New England. followed by a photographing field trip through the Fee: $12, $14 November lOt Arboretum. A critique on Tuesday evening will Thursday, 7:30-9:00 pm examine each student’s work, technically and (Hunnewell Building) visually. Participants will be encouraged to investi- gate new and more personal ways of rendering the BOT 249 The Sex Life of Plants colorful panorama of fall in the Arboretum. An James Martzn, Botanzst and Horticultural Instructor equipment list will be sent on pre-registration. Over eons of time, plants have evolved reproductive Fee: $83> $92 strategies of great precision. Many angiosperms have October 15/ 9:00 am-4 :00 Saturday, pm developed complicated biochemical pathways to (Dana Greenhouses and Arboretum grounds) produce the bright colors and exotic perfumes that and Tuesday, October 18/ 6:30-8:00 pm (Dana attract insect The basic Greenhouses) specific pollinators. biology of reproduction in plants will be covered in this which is to meet the needs of HOR 264 Landscaping with Herbs: A Morning course, designed with Jim Wilson gardeners and plant propagators. Jim Wilson, Co-host of The Victory Garden and Fee: $48, $54 Horticultural Wrzter 3 Mondays, November 28, December 5, 12/ In researching his latest book, Landscaping with 6:3fl-8:30 pm (Dana Greenhouses)