Fee: $155 • Student fee (with ID): $85

Water shapes every landscape, sustains every ecosystem, and connects communities to the natural world. This year’s Tree Canopy Conference explores the vital relationship between trees and water, from the mechanics of tree physiology to the hydrologic history of our region and everything in between.  

The conference will be held at Haverford College in the Stokes Hall Auditorium and is a partnership between the Morris Arboretum & Gardens and the Haverford College Arboretum.  Attendees may also enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour of Haverford College Arboretum’s extensive tree collection. The day’s program has been submitted to carry 5 CEUs from ISA, LA CES, and the NJ Board of Tree Experts.

A small number of complimentary admissions are available for students in financial hardship. If you are interested in a student complimentary admission, please email education@morrisarboretum.org. Scholarships for practitioners, interested individuals, educators, and others are available through TreePennsylvania. Click here for more information and to apply → 

Enjoy an exclusive members-only evening on Thursday, October 1 from 5 – 7 pm. Wander the Garden after hours in soft autumn light—without the crowds! Experience familiar pathways in the glow of early evening during this can’t-miss fall highlight at Morris.

Casual fare and sweet treats will be available for purchase from a fun food truck in the Garden just for Member Night. Plus, show your membership card at the Shop to save 10%.

Premier Member Perks

To thank our Premier members for their philanthropic support, we’ll be handing out complimentary treat vouchers and a special giveaway. Stop by the welcome table on Widener Plaza to receive your Premier member perks.

If you would like to upgrade your membership, please contact the membership office at members@morrisarboretum.org or 215.247.5777 ext. 205.

Free registration is required to attend this event. Show your registration confirmation at Morris’s entrance kiosk. Final permitted entry time is 6 pm. Morris closes at 7 pm. This event will take place rain or shine; in case of severe weather, it will be canceled.

Members: $30 • Non-members: $35

Emily Tipps, Binding Instructor, Program Manager, and Librarian at the Book Arts Program at the University of Utah

All paper is made from cellulose, the primary structural component in the cell walls of plants. This essential connection means it is possible to make paper from the plants growing all around us. Making paper from foraged materials can yield beautiful, interesting, and surprising results. In this workshop, participants will learn the basics of hand papermaking, creating sheets from locally-grown materials. The session will include a walk around the Morris to observe a variety of plants utilized in papermaking and other paper-related crafts such as surface dyeing. Attendees will go home with a small stack of handmade sheets whose unique character reflects the botanical environment.  

Emily Tipps teaches at the University of Utah’s Book Arts Program in Salt Lake City. Her creative interest in the whole book (from initial concept to final binding) includes papermaking pedagogy and making paper from locally-foraged common plants of native, invasive, and garden varieties. 

Members: $25 • Non-members: $30
Bat Box Add-On: $55

Join us in celebrating Bat Week with a special evening educational program about the important role bats play in Pennsylvania and what you can do to support bats in your yard and neighborhood. If you’re curious about these nocturnal neighbors, we invite you to join us as we explore the Morris at night! We will begin with a short presentation to learn about these incredible creatures and end with an explorational walk to see these flying night mammals in action.

This program is led by Brooke Ezzo from Penn Vet Wildlife Futures Program, a partnership program that aims to research, prevent, prepare for, and mitigate threats to wildlife health.

This program is open to all ages. One registration covers one adult and one child. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Additional adults will require additional registration.

Would you like to install a bat box on your home property? Add a ‘Bat Box Add-On' when you register and pick up your very own Wildlife Futures Approved Double Chambered Cedar Bat Box the evening of the program!
 

Members: $40 • Non-members: $45

This after-hours wander into the treetops and through the garden has become a yearly favorite! Three sites will feature staff-favorite wines and cheese plates to enjoy as you wander and explore these remarkable locations. Horticulturist Jen Monico, Associate Director of Urban Forestry Michael Dunn, and Plant Propagator Lizzie Wilson will be present to pour the wine and to answer any questions you might have about the gardens and their care.

Sites will be open from 5:30 – 7:30 pm; guests can arrive when it is convenient for them. Last arrival should be no later than 6:30 pm to allow time to visit each site. Participants must be 21+.

This specialty tour investigates many native plants and trees in the Natural Areas near the Wissahickon Creek. It includes a brief history of the area and describes the nature of the ecosystem. The Wetland provides important resources—water, food, shelter—vital for plants, trees, and wildlife that create an abundant native habitat. This tour is off paved pathways, and visitors are advised to wear walking or hiking shoes.

Free with general admission.
Tour begins in the parking lot to the left of the entrance kiosk.

We’re Going on a Leaf Hunt by Steve Metzger follows three friends as they travel through the forest, collecting leaves of all different shapes, sizes, and colors! Come along for a leaf hunt of our very own and create a craft to celebrate!  Free with general admission.