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The ARBORETUM at Arizona State University


The Arboretum at ASU is managed by the Facilities Management Ground Services Department, and encompasses the entire Tempe Campus. It's open to the public seven days a week, dawn to dusk and free of charge.

Arboretum Tour Maps and Arboretum Guides (PDF):

Arboretum Tour Map  Arboretum Guide

 


ASU has earned the designation Tree Campus USA
by the National Arbor Day Foundation and Toyota.

Get involved with the Arboretum! VOLUNTEER!

Why volunteer at the Arboretum?

  • Make new friends while learning the basics of organic gardening and composting.
  • Discover the wildlife that lives on campus in the microhabitats of the different gardens.
  • Enjoy the outdoors and the many fragrances of the Arboretum gardens.
  • Watch the seasons change and cultivate your own harvest of delicious dates.
  • Join the award-winning sustainable grounds-keeping team.

To volunteer for the Arboretum, please contact Deborah Thirkhill, (480) 268-4165.
Please visit our ARBORETUM VOLUNTEER PAGE!

Staff Listing

Polly Pinney
Executive Director, Facilities Management

Ellen Newell
Assistant Director, Arboretum/Grounds Services
(480) 965-2682

Deborah Thirkhill
Volunteer Program Coordinator, Arboretum/Grounds Services
(480) 268-4165

Desert Arboretum Park - Wall of Honor

You can be a part of ASU's history with a donation of a copper plaque on the Wall of Honor at Sun Devil Plaza. This is an ideal way to show your support of the Arboretum and at the same time, honor a relative, celebrate a recent graduate, or recognize a colleague or friend. Follow this link to see a sample plaque and order yours today.

A Proud Note on Sustainability

Grounds Services is in the process of changing its traditional methods and equipment of grounds keeping for The Arboretum at Arizona State University. Many common tasks have been scrutinized for energy efficiency and environmental concerns, and new sustainable solutions have been proposed and implemented. These initiatives include:

  • Harvesting and using all citrus, dates, and other produce located on campus.
  • Composting an average of 12 tons of green waste a month. The resulting high quality compost is used at the Arboretum.
  • Gas powered blowers are no longer used; the same tasks are performed with rakes and brooms.
  • Lawns are mowed with mulching deck mowers and the clippings are left on the turf.
  • New 3 wheeled bikes with cargo baskets are available for staff use.
  • Natural fertilizers are used: fish emulsion and organic compost teas.
  • New landscapes use xeriscape water wise designs.
  • Approximately one-third of trash and recycling compactors will be solar-powered.
  • A portion of the gas powered fleet will be replaced with new solar carts.
  • Integrated Pest Management is gradually phasing out the primary reliance on toxic chemicals.
  • A weed removal tool called the "Devil's Edge" was designed by Arboretum staff, and is made from recycled materials.