Promoting Admiration: Morphing my School Campus into an Arboretum

My various encounters with individuals who find connection with the natural world culminated in my decision to turn our school campus into an arboretum. An Italian Garden and a wide variety of tree species dot the grounds, but its biodiversity goes widely unnoticed amidst the frenetic passage of school. To combat this, I arranged for engraved plaques identifying each tree’s common English, common Italian, and scientific names to be permanently added, infusing the school’s campus with subtle detail and richness. In doing so, I aimed to promote awareness of the beauty of the campus and allow others to admire the trees—now with a hint of newfound knowledge—just as I so often find myself doing.

Note: The permanent plaques are in the process of being made, but temporary signs identify the trees in the meantime.