Protecting our landscape means protecting our health.
Air, water and soil quality are all essential to our wellbeing and the wellbeing of wildlife, ecosystems, and watersheds. Located just outside the nation’s capital, the University of Maryland’s 1,250 acres of arboretum and botanical gardens contribute to the well being of our region.
93%
of campus grounds are internationally recognized arboretum
150
acres of Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary
23%
of campus is covered by tree canopy
Opportunities
Programs to help you support Sustainable Landscapes on campus
UMD’s Department of Facilities Management manages the 1,340 acre campus including the Landscape Maintenance, Arboretum & Horticultural Services units, cultivating pollinator-friendly gardens, edible landscaping, native plants, rain gardens, and more!
Arboretum:
The UMD College Park campus is an internationally acclaimed Arboretum and Botanical Garden consisting of diverse trees and plants for scientific and educational study and public enjoyment. UMD’s Arboretum Outreach Center offers garden-related events, tours, and volunteer opportunities.
UMD Adventure:
RecWell’s Adventure Program helps people get outdoors and connect with nature by offering adventure trips off campus, rock climbing and bouldering at the campus Climbing Wall, team building on the campus Challenge Course, equipment rental for personal adventures, and bike maintenance and parts. The Adventure Program rental desk and resource center are located in the lower level of the Eppley Recreation Center.
Community Learning Garden:
Located next to the School of Public Health, this community garden grows produce to donate to the campus food pantry and is run by volunteer students, staff, and faculty – join weekly volunteer hours or schedule a group volunteering event.
Campus Gardens:
Explore the numerous gardens in our 1,340 acre campus, including pollinator gardens, rain gardens, and food gardens.
Achievements
UMD Initiatives supporting Sustainable Landscapes on campus
UMD integrates environmental stewardship into campus development, design and restoration projects. UMD’s campus is an award-winning arboretum and collection of botanical gardens where horticulture staff and volunteers care for trees and gardens, conserve biodiversity, and provide opportunities for education, public enjoyment, scientific study, and food production.
Agro-Ecology Corridor: The Agro-Ecology Corridor explores how to increase the footprint of the campus farm to areas beyond, and connect these green spaces to meet the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Strategic Initiatives. The campus farm and adjacent greenspaces are untapped resources, which have the potential to become a living learning laboratory to address sustainability of food production and natural resource preservation.
NatureRX: NatureRx@UMD is a new and burgeoning movement, represented by numerous individuals and units within the University of Maryland College Park community, who have come together with a shared passion for the many ways in which the landscape of our campus arboretum and other recreation spaces can heal and preserve the health and well-being of every person.
Stormwater Management: Any rainwater that lands on campus flows downstream into in the Anacostia River watershed and then into the Chesapeake Bay. University landscape management practices including rain gardens, wetlands, and riparian buffers all serve to protect and restore local waterways.
University of Maryland, Home and Garden Information Center: Develops and delivers science-based, sustainable gardening and integrated pest management education for better human and environmental health.
UMD Golf Course: In 2003, the UMD Golf Course was named a “Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary” by Audubon International. The certification includes categories focusing on Environmental Planning, Wildlife and Habitat Management, Chemical Use Reduction and Safety, Water Conservation, Water Quality Management, and Outreach and Education.
Arboretum Explorer: In addition to cultivating green spaces on campus, the Arboretum and Botanical Gardens is committed to monitoring campus biodiversity and plant health. The Arboretum and Botanical Gardens has created an interactive campus Arboretum Explorer with over 14,250 tagged species.
Related Academic and Research Programs:
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture
- UMD Extension
- Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health
- Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI)
Sustainable Landscape Stories:
Building a Sustainable Future
Restoring the Campus Creek and other stories
Architecture School’s Three New Dual Degree Programs
Architecture School’s New Degrees to Prepare Students for a Changing, Challenging World
UMD Arboretum Receives Highest National Recognition for Excellence
UMD Arboretum Honored with Grand Award at 2019 Green Star Awards Program
Code Red: Baltimore’s Climate Divide
The Howard Center for Investigative Journalism explores Baltimore's climate divide