Call for Proposals: Ecotopian Tools for Multispecies Flourishing The Open Call for “Ecotopian Tools for Multispecies Flourishing” is officially accepting proposals—now through March 1, 2024! Image The Open Call for “Ecotopian Tools for Multispecies Flourishing” is officially accepting proposals—now through March 1, 2024! Presented in collaboration with the Penn Program of Environmental Humanities (PPEH), we invite artists and designers of all kinds to introduce “ecotopian” tools that might be used by visitors and inhabitants of Morris to support varied, multi-species communities, including humans, amidst the ongoing climate crisis. Successful proposals will be explored in public workshops at Morris Arboretum & Gardens in spring 2024. They will dig deep–not just into the sciences at Morris, but also into the histories and stories that shape this place today. They will work to find ways to engage the public to think about how they can help build healthy and just futures for all humans and non-humans alike. Visit the links below to learn more about the Ecotopian Toolkit and how to apply. Contact the PPEH lab with any questions at ppehlab-director@sas.upenn.edu . Learn More Image 2024 Call for Proposals Learn more about the 2024 Morris + PPEH Call for Ecotopian Tools for Multispecies Flourishing and how to apply.  Learn More Image Meet the Jury Meet the 2024 Ecotopian Toolkit jury, including two Morris staff: William Cullina, F. Otto Haas Executive Director, and Bryan Thompson-Nowak, Director of Education. Learn More Image An Interview with Bryan Thompson-Nowak PPEH's program coordinator, Megan Pollin Hernandez sat down with Director of Education at Morris, Bryan Thompson-Nowak, to talk about the foundation of this year’s theme—soil—and how the Morris works to be a steward of and partner with the earth under our feet. Learn More Blog Image February 22, 2024 … Call for Proposals: Ecotopian Tools for Multispecies …

Affiliations Affiliations Image University of Pennsylvania One of the oldest universities in America and one of the most prestigious institutions of higher learning in all the world.  America's Garden Capital A guide to the Philadelphia region's public gardens, arboreta, and historic landscapes. American Public Gardens Association The professional association for public gardens in North America, supporting the public horticulture community in its mission to study, display, and conserve plants. Chestnut Hill Business Association Morris Arboretum is located in Philadelphia’s northwest neighborhood of Chestnut Hill, a favorite destination for shopping, restaurants, and family fun.  Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) Your travel guide to  Philadelphia and The Countryside® .  Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance The Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance leads, strengthens and gives voice to a varied cultural sector that is making Philadelphia a world-class region to live, work and play.  American Association of State and Local History The American Association for State and Local History provides leadership and support for its members who preserve and interpret state and local history in order to make the past more meaningful to all Americans.  … …

A Look Inside the Morris Arboretum Herbarium An herbarium is a lot like a library, except instead of books it holds botanical specimens. The Morris Arboretum Herbarium contains more than 25,000 specimens, all of which have been digitized. From pressed orchids to parasitic mistletoe to oak branches with acorns, the Herbarium hosts a varied array of plants.   Emily Humphreys is the the Eli Kirk Price Plant Science Fellow. In September of 1994, a party of botanists from across the U.S. and China traversed a set of steep cliffs searching for lacebark pine ( Pinus bungeana ). While the botanists found several trees, they all grew on slopes too steep and treacherous to navigate. Finally, Dr. Riming Hao of Nanjing Botanic Garden, in a great show of bravery, climbed one of the trees that stretched over the cliffside, collecting seeds and a cutting that were brought back to the Morris Arboretum. Today, that cutting resides in the Arboretum’s Herbarium.*  Image A little bit of extra glue was applied to keep this leaf stuck down. What’s an herbarium?  An herbarium is a lot like a library, except instead of books it holds botanical specimens. Each specimen features a pressed and dried plant, which can include anything from a tiny flower, roots and all, to a dense tuft of moss, to a cutting of a tree branch like the one Dr. Hao collected. This plant is glued on a special piece of herbarium paper. While the glue and paper are specially formulated to preserve the plants, the general process of mounting a specimen is not too different from a craft project. In addition to the plant itself, the specimen also carries information about that plant in the form of a label. The information on these labels varies widely, but most feature an identification for the plant, the location and date it was collected, and the name of the collector. Finally, some specimens have a little folded packet that is meant to hold any bits or pieces that fall off of the dried plant in its long tenure as a …

Four Flourishing Ferns in the Fernery In these final days of winter, as both plants and people get anxious for spring, we are searching for signs of growth—and the Dorrance H. Hamilton Fernery is the perfect place to be surrounded by lush greenery. In these final days of winter, as both plants and people get anxious for spring, we are searching for signs of growth—and the  Dorrance H. Hamilton Fernery  is the perfect place to be surrounded by lush greenery. Kyra Matin, Plant Propagator at the Morris Arboretum, highlights four ferns that are currently flourishing in the Fernery and that you can see on your next visit to the Arboretum. She will also be leading the class  Propagating Ferns   on Saturday, March 19 where she will be teaching the magic that is propagating ferns by spore!   Kyra is also on the board of the  Hardy Fern Foundation  and runs their  social media  (where you can often see photos from our Fernery, including  Buzzy our resident cat ) so needless to say, she knows her ferns! She started working at the Arboretum in October, moving to Philadelphia from the Pacific Northwest (“a very ferny part of the country,” she says), and is thrilled to tend to the Fernery at the Morris Arboretum. Image Pyrrosia lingua (felt fern or tongue fern) Pyrrosia lingua  is one of the easier  Pyrrosias  to grow, but it’s just out of reach hardiness-wise for planting outside in Philadelphia. Fortunately, we can enjoy it in the Fernery! The common name for  P. lingua  is felt or tongue fern. Common names, like scientific names, often describe characteristics of the plant in question. Felt or tongue fern are apt descriptors for  P. lingua  because the fronds feel like felt and their shape is reminiscent of a tongue.  Lingua , the species name, is the Latin word for tongue. There are fifty-one species in the genus  Pyrrosia . They have a wide native range, spanning across Africa and Asia, into Australia, New Zealand, and Polynesia—with a concentration of species variety in …

Field Trips Field Trips Image Field Trips & Youth Tours  Please note: At least 3 weeks advance notice is needed for guided tours. Email  tours@morrisarboretum.org  to schedule an outdoor educational experience to enhance your students at home or hybrid school instruction.  Choose from the following field trip tours:  General Tour (All Ages)  Duration: 60 minutes  Explore our 92-acre living museum  See the tree highlights  Learn about the Arboretum’s history  Meets PA Academic Standards:  3.3 Biological Sciences, 4.6 Ecosystems and Their Interactions  What Tree Am I? Tour (3rd Grade and up)  Duration: 60 minutes  Morris Arboretum is home to some of the oldest, rarest and largest trees in Philadelphia  Take a closer look to discover the amazing variety of the trees around us  Examine the unique characteristics of trees and discover which tree you are most like  Meets PA Academic Standards:  3.3 Biological Sciences, 4.6 Ecosystems and Their Interactions  Scout Tour (All Ages)  Duration: 60 minutes  Morris Arboretum provides the perfect resource to help complete many nature-themed Boy and Girl Scout badge requirements, including Forestry, Nature, Flowers, Trees, and more.  When scheduling your tour, please feel free to include your particular project needs. We’ll be happy to tailor our many tours and activities to help fulfill specific badge requirements, making your trip to Morris Arboretum both fun and productive.  Scout groups with tour reservations will receive the Morris Arboretum Fun Patch!  4 Seasons Through the 5 Senses Tour (PreK through Kindergarten)  Duration: 60 minutes  Take a sensory journey through the Arboretum  Learn the natural characteristics of each season  Collect plant material to bring back to the classroom  Meets PA Academic Standards:  3.3 Biological Sciences  Tree Adventure Tour I (K - 3rd Grade)  Duration: 60 minutes  Learn responsibility from a tree  Leaves are responsible for producing food  Bark is responsible for protecting the trunk  …

Paul W. Meyer Paul W. Meyer Image Remembering Paul W. Meyer (1952–2023): A Statement From Executive Director Bill Cullina Image With the passing of Paul W. Meyer, the retired F. Otto Haas Executive Director, I would like to celebrate his lasting legacy at the Morris Arboretum & Gardens. It would be no overstatement to say that during Paul’s 43-year tenure at the Morris, 28 years as its leader, he transformed a quiet garden on the edge of the city into a vibrant, world-class public institution that now welcomes more than 170,000 visitors per year.  Paul began his career as the Morris’s curator and director of horticulture, developing a keen understanding of its mission and day-to-day activities while deepening his appreciation of the power of public horticulture. During this time, he oversaw the clearing of overgrown sections of the garden and the renewal of the living collections through expeditions to China and Korea. In 1991 after a nationwide search, Paul was selected to become the Arboretum’s new director. He was chosen for his vision, talent, leadership, and charisma to inspire staff and donors to raise the Morris Arboretum to the level of beauty and inclusion that its founders, John and Lydia Morris envisioned. Paul was a keen believer that research and education are foundational elements of the Morris’s mission. Under his direction, the Morris built its botanical staff and its reputation for regional floristic studies. Paul’s love of learning (and travel!) was evident in his 12 expeditions to countries such as China, Korea, Taiwan, Armenia, and the Republic of Georgia, where he collected plants to help increase genetic variety, including plants that will grow in stressful urban conditions. Paul was also passionate about inspiring future generations of public garden leaders. Paul and his wife, Debra (Debbie) Rodgers, personally endowed two funds at the Morris that have been supplemented by contributions from other individuals in his honor: The Paul Meyer and …

Urban Forestry Fellow Attends Sustainable Forestry Initiative Conference as a Youth Delegate This past June, Matt Walker, the Martha S. Miller and Rusty Miller Urban Forestry Fellow, attended the Sustainable Forestry Initiative’s (SFI) annual conference in Atlanta as a youth delegate. This past June I had the unique and profound experience of attending the Sustainable Forestry Initiative’s (SFI) annual conference in Atlanta as a youth delegate. Among the 49 other youth delegates there were students and young professionals from many varied backgrounds. Hailing from all over the United States and Canada, they were each dedicated to taking care of the world’s forests. I was eager to meet the cohort and start the conference. SFI’s mission is to “advance sustainability through forest-focused collaboration.” The extremely passionate people at SFI do fantastic work in areas critical to forest sustainability such as creating forestry standards, conducting research, strengthening community, and educating people about the importance of trees and forests. Their annual conference reflects the collaborative nature of the organization, with representation from logging companies, forest scientists, conservationists, Indigenous leaders, and, of course, the youth delegation. Image SFI’s new strategic direction is guided by Standards, Conservation, Community, and Education. We were greeted in Atlanta by SFI staff dedicated to advancing green careers. Before the conference began, we were guided through sessions that taught us networking skills and gave us the confidence to reach out to people at the conference to advance our careers. Delegates were also assigned mentors, who were professionals in various fields of forestry, to help us make connections with their colleagues. With these new skills, and a fresh stack of personalized business cards made for us, we were released to the conference. As much as conferences are about learning the newest research, technology, and tree …